Last Chance for Happiness
by diaryofamonster
Summary: A story of Gale's life after the rebellion. Let's face it, without Katniss, who is Gale? Well, here's what happened to him.
1. Chapter 1

Katniss. She's running. She's in the deep forest, and is trying to find water. She looks better than she did back in District 12. The Capitol fed her well, apparently.

Her hair is swinging down her back in a braid, so similar to the Katniss I know. But this girl is different from the one who I used to hunt with, in the familiar woods back in 12. This girl is haunted and hollow.

I can't stand to watch it anymore. I turn off my TV that was showing the 74th Hunger Games. I've watched this tape for endless hours, torturing myself over who I've lost. The Hunger Games are over, but I've lost the only game I've ever played. Peeta won, and the prize is Katniss.

_Move on. I have to move on._

I get up, off of my plush couch that once belonged to someone in the Capitol. It's so gaudy, I almost can't stand it. But it came with the house, so I really can't complain. After all this is more than I've ever had. Even more than when I lived in District 13. I almost feel guilty for all the luxuries I have now, but since the Capitol and President Snow are gone, everyone has been living better, and there is finally food to go around. Hunger and starvation no longer plague Panem.

I walk over to my bedroom and grab my hunting jacket. I'm not planning on hunting though. I just want to escape. In my backyard, I have a door in the fence that encloses our District. The door leads to the forest, where I go everyday. I leave my house and pull my jacket to my face tightly. The cold wind pierces my bare face. I enter the forest anyway.

I have no weapons with me and no food. What would I need it for anyways? I'm only going to be gone for a few hours at most.

The forest in District 2 is still unfamiliar to me. I've gone here everyday, but it never seems to stay in my memory. Everyday I enter this foreign world. And it becomes my sanctuary.

Although it is no longer illegal to leave the fences that surround the districts, no one actually leaves. Something about safety. I don't really know. But that makes it all mine. My personal Hunger Games arena.

I stumble along the leafy ground, until I find a tee large enough for me to sleep on. I climb up its trunk and find thick branches that I position myself over. The sun is still beating down on me, even under the shade of the tees. It will be impossible for me to sleep like this.

Desperate, I feel through all my pockets, until I find what I'm looking for. My new best friend. Morphling.

I take the syringe I'm carrying and inject it in my arm. A moan of satisfaction leaves my lips. Blissful and drug induced sleep awaits me. Before I close my eyes, I think I see someone else watching me. Hallucinations.

I close my eyes and enter a dream. The first thing I see is a set of dark grey eyes. They're staring at me intently.

"Catnip," I say, smiling.

She steps forward, out of a shadow. She looks stunning. She's wearing a long, flowing white gown.

"Gale, you have to leave," she says.

I scoff at her, "Why? The party just started."

Instead of answering, she turns around, whipping her braid around. She runs away.

"Wait!" I yell, following her. She leads me to a forest. It takes me a moment to realize it, but I know this place. It's our forest, where we used to hunt.

She runs to the lake, and jumps in it, swimming away from me.

"Catnip!" I call after her.

She leaves the lake and climbs up a tree. I climb up one near me, in an attempt to jump to her.

She stops trying to flee, and instead lifts a bow. An arrow shoots me and I fall off my tree.

My eyes fly open. I've fallen of my tree in reality as well. My morphling needle is still in my hands. I can tell the drug is still in my system, but I up anyways. I look around and see it's now dark. How long was I out? I still see glimpses of Katniss all around me. Great. Even on drugs, I can't escape her.

Disorientated, I get up and try to find my way home.

"Katniss! Leave me alone!" I scream as I balance against a tree. She's everywhere I look. She's giggling, then I turn and she's got another arrow headed my way.

After managing to get a clearing in the trees, I fall over, helpless. Katniss is leaning over me, laughing at how useless I am now.

I look away, and see a new person staring at me. It's a girl, slightly younger than Katniss, with pale green eyes, and long flowing waves of blonde hair. She runs over to me.

"Let me help you," she says, unaware of the arrow aimed at her head. I shove her to the side before Katniss kills her.

"You're not real," I slur at her, "You're not real."

I close my eyes and fall into darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

_Note: I have severely neglected this story, so I apologize. I have about 9 chapters already written, I've just been extremely slow on uploading. Also, I suggest you listen to Massive Attack while reading. Random, yes, but that's what I listen to while writing. Enjoy._

I wake up in my large, fluffy bed. Another Capitol piece of furniture. It's lavish and feels soft. I haven't slept in it once since I got here. Well, once now.

I sit up, wondering how I wound up here, but let that thought drop, since I barely remember what I even did. Morphling dreams, but that's all.

I wince in pain as I realize my head is throbbing. I mutter some explicits under my breath as I get up and walk to the door of my room. I catch my reflection in the mirror in the hallway. At this point, I'm thankful my mother and siblings live elsewhere so they can't see me like this. My dark hair is a ratted mess, my eyes bloodshot, my lip busted, and my arms and chest bruised to no end. I look away from the nightmare I've become.

I enter the kitchen and grab a loaf of bread. I sink my teeth into it. It's sweet and has almonds in its center.

I sit on the plush Capitol couch and turn on the tape of the last Hunger Games. The one that we took Katniss from. I watch her show the others what a spile does, as the water pours from the trees.

Katniss, Katniss, Katniss. I'm supposed to move on. But apparently, I can't. Hell, I'm watching her everyday. I've never been without her before, aside from the games. But even then, I could watch her every move. Now…

Now , she's back in District 12. She's probably with Peeta, as broken as he is. How can he love her if he sees her as a monster? I see her for who she is: kind, brave, loving… And still, she chooses him. A stupid baker.

I look at my bread with disgust.

I could feed her and her family without effort, and what can he do? Bake cakes? Paint flowers? Yeah, because painting of roses are going to keep a family alive.

I bite angrily into my bread.

He doesn't deserve her! He wants to kill her! Whatever Snow did to him, it can't be reversed. He'll always have fear in his eyes. He is one of the Capitol mutts. He's an animal. A monster.

I look at my hands, which are shaking violently. Is it drugs or anger? I decide it's anger, since I don't have a craving for the addictive morphling. At least not yet.

I manage to fall into a dreamless sleep.

I wake up in what seems like no time. Someone is pressing something cold and wet onto my my chest. I instantly think it's Prim, but then I remember her death. I look to the figure, which is just a mess of blonde hair. I jolt away immediately.

"You're – you're from the forest!" I exclaim dumbly.

The girl smiles softly at me. Her green eyes are so pale that they seem unearthly, especially with her endless eyelashes.

"You got pretty cut up," she informs me. There's a bit of a foreign accent to her voice. "So I brought you here. When you fell asleep, I knew you needed help with your wounds."

I notice a cut on her cheek and arm, and I suddenly feel guilty.

"Did I do that to you?" I ask slowly, looking away.

"Yes," she answers, "you pushed me away."

"You were about to be killed!" I say, before I realize that Katniss wasn't actually there, that it was just a hallucination.

She just smiles at me. "Morphling does funny things."

Right. If she took me home, she must have seen my needles lying around.

"What were you trying to escape, Gale?" She asks, full of concern. _She knows my name._ Well, of course she does. After all that footage that District 13 sent out, I'm sure everyone in Panem knows my name.

I look deeply into her eyes, and decide not to tell her what it really is. Or who, really. Instead I come up with a plausible answer: "The War."

She frowns and grabs my hand. "You don't need morphling, you just need something to do." She says, then smiles, releasing my hand.

She goes back to painting a liquid on my chest and arms.

"Why are you trying to help me? You could have left me to die out there."

"Gale, you're human too. I can't leave you to die."

She starts to bandage my wounds. She's humming a song I don't recognize, but it's calming. I lose concentration, and return my thoughts to Katniss. What's she doing right now? Hunting in our forest? The place I consider home. She's probably brought Peeta there with her. But what use is he? He's so loud all the game will run away from the noise. What an idiot. Or maybe he's making her a cake covered in roses, and he's kissing her. I sigh, knowing that she's all his now.

It's not fair, really. If the Capitol hadn't played them up as the "star crossed lovers," Peeta would be dead. He would have been killed or died from that leg wound. And then Katniss would belong to _me_. Fall into _my_ arms. Be _my_ wife.

Stupid Capitol.

Stupid Peeta.

I close my eyes and, trying to remember the good memories I have of her. Like our kiss…

_That's in the past. That's the past._

"Who are you?" I ask the mystery girl.

"I'm Ivory."

She smiles again, and I finally return the gesture.

"You wanna stay for dinner?" I ask her, as a sort of repayment for her kindness.

"Of course," she answers, smiling again.

She finishes bandaging me up, and I leave to get a shirt to cover my bandages and bruises. I tell her to stay there, or watch TV or something. She nods, and starts to walk around my living room.

I return momentarily with a flannel shirt on, and head to the kitchen. I start mincing a variety of vegetables and fresh herbs. I take out a wild turkey that I killed on one of my ventures t the forest. As I cut the bird into strips, I look over at Ivory. She's examining the "artwork" – which is just a canvas covered in random colours, my flat screen TV – thank you Capitol, and my furniture. She stares at everything like this is all so new to her. She looks fascinated by my house.

I'm instantly in pain, and I don't realize why until I look down at my hand. I've sliced it open when I wasn't looking. But then I realize it didn't matter if I paid attention or not. My hands are shaking violently.

"Shit!" I exclaim as I was the blood run down to my wrist. I realize instantly why I'm shaking. Withdrawal.

Ivory asks what happened, but I block her out of my mind. I wave her away while I try to steady my hands in vain. I desperately try to stop shaking, to stop feeling drained without the drug coursing through my veins. I try and fail. Ivory steps in and bandages my hand as I tilt my head backwards, crying in pain. Pain over what, though? I look away ashamed. Ivory is witnessing my moments of weakness, and she just cares for me. I don't need bandages, I just need morphling.

I yell something at her, without thinking until she runs away from me. I fall to the ground, shaking back and forth_. I need the drug. I need it_. I get up off the floor and run out of the room. I run down the hallway to my bedroom. I get to the closet as fast as I possibly can.

The morphling is in here. It's all right here.

I open the door to the closet and look desperately for my needles. I must be going crazy, since they're all gone. I frantically search through all my jackets, with no luck. I scream loudly in frustration. Then I realize what happened. Ivory took them away from me.

"That bitch." I mutter, holding my throbbing head in my hands. My entire body is shaking, and I feel like I'm about to vomit. I curl my legs up to my chest and dig my nails into my arms. Pain; that's all I feel. I stay like that for hours. Pain, longing, loneliness. Without my morphling, I'm so empty. The pain the drug numbed is now fresh all over.

The pain and hurt I feel is mostly over my loss of Katniss. Her grey eyes are on my mind. How she stares so intently on her prey with her bow in hand. How soft those same eyes would become around Prim. Or around my mother. And around me, they were honest, kind, and filled with all the beauty of the world.

Tangled in my memories of Katniss, is a new set of eyes. Soft, pale green. Ivory. What did I even say to her? I probably scared her away. Maybe she never wants to see me again. Who was she, though? Ivory from… where? How old is she? I know nothing about her, and I've already lost her. The girl who took my morphling.

Once my shaking begins to decline, I painfully get up off the floor. I wince in pain at my throbbing head. I swear, the pain is ten times worse now. I grab my thick hunting jacket, some arrows and my bow, and I leave to do what the drugs did for me: escape. I step through the gate in the fence in the backyard, to never look back again.


	3. Chapter 3

_Note: AWOLNATION - "Sail (Omega Remix)"_

The night welcomes me, but the forest reminds me of nothing. It's so foreign to me, but I know eventually I'll be away from District 2, and maybe I'll forget about Katniss and Peeta. But the deeper I go through the trees, the more engrossed I am in the mental wounds that have now been ripped open from my lack of morphling. My head throbs, and I contemplate stopping, but I know I have to move forward. I have to move on.

I remember my plan I only told Katniss of once. My plan to run away with her and we would have children and everything would be perfect. Just the two of us. _Well, I'm running away, but you're not._ I bitterly think of her in the arms of Peeta. Was she really acting that she loved him in the Hunger Games? Or did I really watch her slip away in front of all of Panem? My head throbs in pain, and I stumble into a tree. I ache all over. I can feel that my bruises are going to be here for weeks. I want to start crying, but I know I'm stronger than that. Even without drugs, I can't cry. I won't allow myself to.

I slide away from the tree. I return my thoughts to Katniss. I wanted so badly to hate her – and maybe for a while, I really did – but I knew she didn't really love him. When she returned home, I knew she was all mine. But then something changed. Katniss changed. She fell for Peeta – this time for real.

And yet… I still can't direct my anger at her. For some reason, I just can't. Maybe it's because I don't understand. I don't understand how I still love her.

I feel suddenly nauseous and turn to vomit. I wipe my mouth and see that I'm still shaking.

I refuse to think of Katniss anymore.

My head pounds, and I try to focus on the terrain to distract me from the pain. The ground is sloping upward. I'm at the base of the massive mountains that surround District 2. I climb up steadily. The temperature drops as I rise higher and higher.

Hunger finally sets in, and I somehow manage to shoot down a large wild cat through my shaking hands. I carry it's carcass with me, knowing that I'll probably use it's white fur for warmth once I get up to the snowy levels on the mountain. I soon enough find a clearing perfect for setting up a fire. I start the fire, skin the animal, and cook its meat. It tastes so much better than the wild turkeys and squirrels back in 12. I eat very little, and I realize it must be because the drugs still in my system. I carry the unused meat and fur, and I continue up the cold mountain. It begins to snow.

I finally stop, from exhaustion, and I lay down in a fresh coat of snow. There are no trees here, and I know it's not the safest place to be at night, but I don't really care. I just want to lay here in pain. And I do feel pain. My stomach is aching in pain, and I know there must be an almost black bruise there. I curl up, with the animal skin over me. I feel pain in my arms and abs. Shit, it hurts.

I close my eyes to sleep, and I think I do. Until I feel something tugging at my arm. My eyes shoot open, and instinctively I grab my bow and point an arrow.

"Gale! What are you doing here?"

It's Ivory.

I put my bow down, and just look at her. Did she follow me? Is she okay? Why does she even care after all I've said to her ?– even if I don't remember what I said. I look at her, dumbstruck. She's in a long white furry jacket with matching boots and gloves. Her cheeks are red from the cold, and her long eyelashes are dusted with the snow falling around us. Her lips look wet, like she just licked them, and she looks so… attractive. I force that thought away.

"I'm escaping," I tell her.

She stares intently at me for a moment. She bites her lip then says, "Take me with you."

I don't even know where I'm going, I want to tell her. I don't know what I'll find. I'm just trying to escape my mind. I'm just trying to find peace. But instead of telling her that, I nod, and agree to take her wherever I go.

She smiles, looking relieved. She sits down next to me, closely but not too closely. She hums that song she was singing earlier in my house. It sounds chilling and haunted in the cold.

"Why did you follow me?" I ask her.

"You seemed lost." She says, then smiles at me, "And besides, if you did mean what you yelled at me earlier –" Shit. What did I say to her? "–I know that you wouldn't be here with me still."

Well, at least she knows I'm not a complete psychopath.

I decide I should get to know her, at least.

"Where are you from?" I ask her. Her accent is so different from anything I've ever heard. Granted, I haven't been to every District, but still.

"I'm from the Capitol."

Well, shit.

The place I hate.

"You don't wear anything crazy." I say, examining her fluffy bunny-like outfit.

She laughs gently, like she's worried I might snap any minute. _Did I scare her earlier? _

"Well," she says, "Not now."

"Why don't you hate me?" I ask her, "Everyone from the Capitol despises me for taking away their superiority."

She's silent for a moment. She's contemplating her answer, I think. But I just want the truth. No sugar coating.

"I see the good in you." She says slowly.

We sit in silence for a moment, the wind whipping our faces. Ivory probably thinks I'm some crazy villain who took away her _precious _Capitol from her. Taking her _precious _President Snow from her. I roll my eyes at the thought. Although she looks nothing like the gaudy Capitol people, Ivory is just a spoiled brat who lost her fancy clothes.

She looks extremely tired, so I lay the cat's fur over her. I turn away before she has a chance to say anything.

I lay back down in the snow. I'm still shaking like mad, but I do manage to fall asleep. And I dream. I dream of Katniss. Of District 12. Of the Hob. The Forrest. My home. . .

The bombs. The hovercrafts. Thirteen. The War. Why do all my dreams morph into nightmares?

Right when I think I've seen the worst of my memories flash before me, I see Katniss in the arms of Peeta.

I wake up immediately. My fists are tight, and I ache all over. I curl in pain and longing. It's barely sunrise, and I get up off the ground, and my head instantly throbs. I can still feel the withdrawal pulling at me.

I wake up Ivory, wordlessly, and we leave immediately.

We climb up the mountain, and it continuously becomes colder. The snow becomes denser and denser. The white flakes whip our faces violently, but that just makes me want to climb higher. To see the other side of the mountain. To see the world the Capitol never let us know.

I continue up the mountain, but I glance back at Ivory – the little Capitol Princess – who is trailing behind. I wait for her to catch up, and then I continue up the rigid slope. Time passes by quickly, and we're almost at the top of the icy mountain. I check again on Ivory, and she's just a few feet below, out of breath. I offer her my hand, and she takes it as I pull her up. Hand in hand, we reach the top of the mountain. And I love what I see.

There is a forest, far denser and hydrated than the one on the other side. Beyond the forest are large almost endless plains, untouched by the Capitol. As far as I can see is freedom.

"This is it," I finally say to Ivory, "This is our future."

Then it hits me.

Ivory and I will live and die together. I look at her. Her minty eyes are watching me, but a smile is playing on her lips. Her cheeks are blood red from the cold, and her blonde hair is sprinkled with snow. Without thinking, I hug her tightly.

I let her go, and my face goes stone cold again. _Ew. Capitol girls. _But that thought quickly escapes. Ivory isn't the stuck up kind of person you would expect from the Capitol. She's… different. I can't place it. She's different from anyone I've ever known. She's so foreign to me.

We continue down the mountain in silence. It's far easier to get down than it is to climb. Ivory is even keeping up with me. We make it back to tree level in an hour, and I kill another one of those cats. We devour it quickly. Ivory keeps pointing randomly to something and saying how beautiful it is – I try to ignore her. Once in a while, I'll look up to see what she's pointing out, and it's usually a butterfly or a flower or something like that. I try to pay attention to the ground ahead of me.

It's all so unfamiliar to me. But soon it will become very familiar – if I am to live here.


	4. Chapter 4

_Note: I apologize for being so slow on updating. Things have been rather crazy. Basemant Jaxx - Raindrops (Doorly Dubstep Remix)_

After hours of hiking down the mountain and forest, we finally find an open clearing. Grass and wildflowers surround us. It's eerily familiar. I bend down to pick up a white flower, and I remember where I've seen it before. Back in District 12, during the Hunger Games. Katniss draped these over Rue. It was pretty much a big "Fuck you" to the Capitol. Katniss told the Capitol that she was more than just a piece to their game. And now, I'm better than any of them. I'm on my own.

I call Ivory over, and when she skips over to me, I tuck the flower behind her ear wordlessly. She smiles and lies down on the ground. I turn around, feeling my cheeks burn. I turn back to her. She looks like she's enjoying this new freedom, although I doubt she realizes that's what it is. That she's free. She has no idea how controlled she used to be.

"I'll be right back," I say to her. _I need to escape. _"Stay here."

Once I'm out of her sight in the thick trees, I run. I run like the deer I used to hunt. I run away from something I can't escape. I climb up a tree and try to collect my thoughts.

I shiver, even though it's not cold, and I know that there will only be more pain as my body adjusts to the loss of the morphling.

Ivory. Katniss. One can be mine, but the other… The other has been my entire world for as long as I can remember. Catnip. Hmmph. Ivory, Ivory,Ivory. She's so perfect. Blindly perfect. An ignorant fool. She is gorgeous. She is so… different. She's all I've got.

I look around from my view on the tree, and I realize I've traveled a bit in an effort to escape my thoughts. I jump down from the tree, and I head back through the thick forest to the clearing where I left Ivory. Only… Ivory isn't there.

I call her name, with no answer. Then I scream. No answer.

Oh shit.

"Ivory! Dammit! Answer me!"

All I get in response is a faint breeze.

_Yeah, thanks, wind. You're a real pal. Thanks for the help._

"Ivory seriously, I know there are no dangerous animals at this time of the day! Stop hiding!"

This time, I get an answer.

It's her song. The one she sang when she found me in the forest in 2.

Mockingjays sing it loudly, and I follow the eerie sound.

_But why wouldn't she just come back?_

Something is wrong. And Ivory is in trouble. I follow the song until I reach a pond. There are trees densely surrounding it. The birds have silenced, so I assume this is where she must me. Although I don't see her.

"So this is him?" A voice asks.

Before I can even tell what's going on, a tall boy, with jet black hair, about my age, jumps down in front of me. His clothes are all black, and completely pristine. He's got a smirk on his chapped lips.

"Gale, I presume." He nearly hisses at me. He has that same strange accent that Ivory has. He steps forward and leans in, inspecting my face. I look away from this stranger.

"Where's Ivory?" I ask through my teeth.

He laughs haughtily.

"_Where is she?_" I insist.

He just smirks, clearly enjoying my confusion.

"Anyways," he says, ignoring my pleads, "I'm Ravius. You'll learn to like me."

"Just tell me where she _is_, dammit!" I scream.

He laughs, and looks up at the trees surrounding us. "Ivyyyy!" he sings.

And just like that, Ivory jumps down, in front of me. She stands up straight, and clings to Ravius' side. When she stands like that, she looks like a broken doll. She's clearly scared.

"Ivory…" I whisper, hopelessly.

"Well, Gale," Ravius continues, "Where _are_ you from anyways?"

"Twelve," I answer, clenching my jaw.

"Electonics?" he smirks, "I wouldn't have pinned you to be that smart."

_What?_

"No," I say slowly, "Coal mining." _What the hell?_

"So… three?" Ravius answers, "My word. You are a strange fellow. You can't even remember where you're from."

"No." I say, baffled. "I'm from 12. It was destroyed, so I moved to 2."

He stops circling me, and stares at me through his pale green eyes, that are identical to Ivory's.

"Have you lost your mind?" He yells.

"No," I snap back, "Have you?"

"Four is agriculture. Twelve is electronics. _Who are you"_

"Ravius," Ivory finally says, "He's not from Niseno."

_What? What is that?_

"Then where the hell _is _he from?" he shouts back, his eyes not leaving mine, "Ivory, Niseno is all there is! Have you lost it too? Is this some joke?" He looks like he's in shock, ready to snap.

"No," she says calmly, "no, Ravius. There is more. I've seen it. It's called Panem." _Okay, so apparently I live somewhere unknown to them? _"They're our sister nation. And… we're headed down the same path of destruction they faced." _Sister nation? What the fuck! _Ivory turns to me with a sad look on her face. "Gale is vital to us now."

_What the fuck is going on._

Sister nation? There's another one like us? Districts and all? How did I not know? How is it that _no one _knew?

"Let's just take him back," she continues, "and we'll explain everything once we get home." She takes Ravius' hand, and tugs on it.

"Yeah," he says, and looks around for no apparent reason, "Yeah, sure. Okay."

"Come on Gale," Ivory says to me, "Follow me."


	5. Chapter 5

_Note: Ladytron – Seventeen (The Droyds Remix)_

Ivory leads me away to a small train about a mile away that has been cleverly hidden in the thick trees. It's clearly a private train only, since it's a rather short train – only a few cars. We get on the train, and it begins to move. It rides quickly, and wherever we are going, it will take a few hours at most – I can tell from the speed.

The seats are large benches with cushions so thick, I'm almost positive the entire seat is just a massive pillow. Once I sit down next to Ivory, I'm proven correct: just one massive pillow. Ravius stretches over another pillow-bench directly across from Ivory and me. The interior of the train is so lavish, it's clearly Capitol. But apparently the Capitol of Niseno?

I decide not to question it. Not yet at least. I want to see what they have to say – if anything at all.

Another country, though… That's major news. How did Panem not know?

A woman enters the room, interrupting my train of thoughts. She brings us all soup and a variety of pastries. Ravius devours a bunch of blue-iced cookies within seconds, while Ivory slowly drinks the clear broth. I know I'm being paranoid, but I just don't want to eat any of that. I'm worried it might be poisoned. The woman nods politely and leaves.

Ravius smirks at me.

"Scared of a little egg soup?" he asks sarcastically, "You're pathetic."

I roll my eyes.

"You're really strange, Gale." He says as he licks the icing off a pink cupcake, "Just gonna let you know, you're not gonna fit in back home. You're clearly a district boy."

"And you're clearly a spoiled Capitol son of a bitch." I spit back.

He laughs haughtily.

Ivory stares out the window, oblivious to us. She is completely engrossed in the trees that are passing by, faster and faster. She sees me watching her, and she smiles. She tells me that we'll be in Niseno in four more hours.

_Four more hours of _lovely _Ravius. Terrific._

Ravius stands up and helps himself to some of the liquor in the wooden cabinets. I suppose it's just a way to pass the time away for him. Or he's just like Haymitch. Either way. He offers me some, and I decline, choosing to attempt to sleep – which is very easy on these pillows.

Every time I open my eyes, I see a new set of surroundings outside the windows. The sun starts to fade as we begin to cross over some water. Which I quickly realize isn't just some water – it's the whole damn ocean. Where the hell are we going?

I drift off to a dreamless sleep, and once I wake up, we're there.

We're in the Capitol. Well, the Capitol of Niseno. I am completely awed by it. Everything here is neon.

Once we're off the train, Ivory quickly takes us away from the crowded streets, and we're in a fairly quiet (but still just as colourful) residential neighborhood. The dark streets are lighted by blue lights. Ivory tells me that we'll be at her house soon. And we arrive there quickly.

Ivory's "house" is more like a palace. Her house is a magnificent building. It's large, colourful, and clearly Capitol. She leads me up to a bedroom that she says I'll be staying in. She says that there are clothes in the Cabinet, and that they should fit me perfectly. I only fear what's inside, but I leave those monstrosities alone, since I'm tired and in need of a shower.

The showers are just as lavish as the ones Katniss told me about in the Capitol of Panem. The water flows from the ceiling, and soap from the walls. I don't even question it. This Capitol is strange enough.

_More like, this entire country is strange enough._

Once out, the closest thing to normal I find in the closet is a set of grey pants and a shimmering teal shirt. The pants are loose up until mid-calf where they become skin tight. The shirt is basic enough – aside from the shimmer. The shirt has a strange design of an animal that looks like a mix of a wolf and a snake. Weird.

I leave the colourful and intricate room to meet Ivory right outside my room. She looks like another person entirely, now that she's all dressed up in her Capitol attire. Her hair is mint, as are her cheeks, and the dress she is wearing matches her facial features perfectly. The dress is short, and corseted to make her look smaller than she already is. It's completely ridiculous.

"Ivory?" I ask, since I'm not completely sure that's actually her.

"Hi, Gale." She says smiling.

"Wow… You're… Different."

She twirls around, making her dress puff up. "I just got this," she giggles, "I love it."

"Yeah it's –" I try to find a word to describe it without being offensive, but I just can't find one. "It's yeah."

_Nice, Gale. Classy._

"Come, follow me," she says, "I need to talk to you and Ravius." She grabs my wrist, and leads me down a hallway, passing endless amounts of rooms. Every room is more intricate and more colourful than the last. She finally stops at an all black room. Every inch of the room is shiny and block-like. All the lights are blue. Ivory motions for me to sit down on one of long couches, so I do. She takes a seat next to me. Seconds later, Ravius stroll in. His eyes are thickly lined in black, and everything he wears is black.

"Well, hello there," he says to me obnoxiously.

Instead of sitting, Ravius jumps onto the couch across mine. He lounges on it, and mentions something to Ivory about drinks. Ivory shakes her head, and he sighs in disappointment, and flops onto his back.

"So," Ravius says to me finally, "What's Panem?"

_Wow, he really doesn't know._

"It's my home. It's a country that was recently overthrown in a way."

"What happened?"

I look at him seriously and answer, "The Hunger Games happened."

"Oh, those?" he laughs, "They're so pointless."

_They have them too?_

"I heard that they're going to start taking us Capitol kids." He laughs, and then continues, "Good luck with that."

I look over to Ivory. She's smiling sheepishly. I can't take her seriously. Not with that green hair.

"Look," I say furious, "it's ignorant people like you who don't understand why the Districts rebel!" I'm practically screaming at this point.

"My word." Ravius says, as he moves to lie on his back. "Someone needs a drink. See, Ivory? I told you we'd need them. Especially around this savage one."

_Excuse me?_

"Savage?" I stand up and continue to yell, "Try having to enter your name in a list that guarantees your death over 50 times, just so your family can eat! So that you don't have to die of hunger! You learn how to hunt and how to feed them! So I'm so goddamn _sorry –_" my words are dripping with sarcasm "–that I'm _such a savage!_"

Ravius looks stunned at what I've just said. Obviously, he's never been hungry in his life, despite his thin frame. He has no idea what it's like to basically allow someone else to determine your fate. Ivory stares down at her hands. She looks almost like she's ashamed of something.

"I'm so sorry Gale." She says softly.

I get up and leave before I yell anything else. As I leave the room, I hear Ravius sneer, "_Someone's _on their period."


	6. Chapter 6

_Note: You guys would actually be surprised at to how much thought goes into this story. I actually plan out their personalities perfectly. They react the way they do for reasons. Everything has a meaning, but I'm not going to spell it out for you. Enjoy~ (Also the song today is: Coeur De Pirate - Comme Des Enfants (Le Matos Andy Carmichael Remix)) _

I leave Ivory's house and decide to go explore this Capitol – whatever this place is. As I walk, I notice how underdressed I seem with this outfit from Ivory. Everyone is wearing long pale jackets that barely brush the ground or all matching outfits like Ivory. Their hair is like a rainbow, and their makeup is equally as neon. Women wear gaudy jewels and insanely tall heels. The buildings are tall, sleek and shiny. The people are boisterous and carefree.

I see a crowd of people huddled around a screen, and I instantly know it must be that Capitol shit that's on repeat every day. Out of curiosity, I listen in to what's playing. On the screen, I see a girl running. She has blood pouring from her abdomen, and she eventually slows. She suddenly gets a blank look in her eyes and falls over. A cannon goes off.

_Shit. _

Everyone around me either laughs or cheers – disgusting! The announcer on the screen says how this was the moment of victory in the last Hunger Games. Well, more like when the winner was chosen by default. They show the winner, his face drenched in sweat and blood. The camera switches to a video of the boy now. He is cleaned up in a suit. He tells the viewers that they are now accepting Capitol citizens as volunteers for the games.

Everyone around me squeals at this. The woman next to me is particularly loud.

"Can you believe it?" she says to me, "What an honor! I'm going to enter!"

I look at her baffled.

"You're just going to die." I say to her seriously.

"That's nonsense!" she snaps back, "no one would hurt a pretty girl!"

_Yep, that's going to be a quick death._

Pretty and a fool. Ignorant. She's a slave of the Capitol – just like everyone around me – and they will die blindly. And for what? A chance to be in front of the nation? A chance to possibly be a killer?

I leave the crowd, disgusted by all of them. I turn and head back in the direction of Ivory's home. I follow the way I left, vaguely remembering where to go. I see the building and I enter.

Ivory is sitting on the couch near the entryway. Her appearance has changed, yet again. She's wearing a white silk nightgown, and her hair is down. It's still mint, but at least her face is clear of makeup. She looks close to human now. He head snaps up when she sees me enter.

"Gale," she says, straightening up, "you're back! Hello!"

"Hey."

"I was getting worried about you," she says walking up to me, "you were gone for hours, you know."

"Yes." She hugs me, and continues, "I'm so glad you're back. I thought you'd leave us."

I'm caught off guard by her sudden affection, but I hug her back, anyways. She's all I know here anyways. Unless you count Ravius. And I don't.

She turns away abruptly and walks away. I notice that on her bare left shoulder, there is a tattoo. I look closer. In black ink, there is a design that is so familiar, I feel at home. The Mockingjay.

"Ivory?"

"Yes?"

"That's a mockingjay. On your shoulder." I say. _Well, no shit Sherlock. That _is _the mockingjay._

"Yes," she says, turning so she can see the corner of it, "I got it when I was in Panem. During the Games." She has a smile playing on her lips. At least I think it's a smile. It's barely there – I can barely tell.

"Why do you have that?"

"Because," she pauses for a moment, before picking up, "I knew what it meant. It meant freedom. Something we don't have here. And we need it desperately."

"Then why live in the Capitol at all?" I challenge.

She sighs. "Gale, this is where I have the most opportunity to change things." She must see the confusion written all over my face, because she continues, "I get to take place in making decisions here. Ravius' father is president."

_What?_

_Oh. My. God._

"So he's the reason why the games are happening?"

_Ravius! That – that bastard!_

"Why?" I continue, "How did you even find out about them? About those horrible Games…"

"The president," Ivory says, looking down, "He knew Snow. And the idea was planted in his mind. And, well, he wanted to be sure that the people of the Capitol would remain loyal," _How counter-productive. _"But, well, you know how the Districts must feel about us." She stops, and pierces her eyes into my stare. "Hatred. That's what they feel. They _will _rebel. They will take over the Capitol. They _will _destroy us."


	7. Chapter 7

_Note: Okay, honestly, I love the character Ravius so much. But you will either love him or hate him, especially with upcoming chapters. Enjoy~! Crystal Castles – Knights_

By the time Ravius came back, it was nearly three in the morning. Ivory had gone to sleep hours before, but I remained awake, just trying to sort out my own thoughts – How to end the Hunger Games. How to – I don't know – be a savior?

Finally, Ravius saunters into the house, as if he was just coming home from a rough day at work. He looks like he's dancing when he walks. Just seeing that elfish freak pisses me off. I say silent in the dark room, hoping that I'm hidden in the shadows. I don't want him to notice that I'm here.

He steps on his toes lightly as he walks over to a cabinet on the wall adjacent to me. He opens it, revealing endless bottles of alcohol, and he takes one, opens it, and sips on it.

I stand up, and walk over to him, behind him. I don't know quite what I'm going to do – fight him, yell at him – but I'm going to do it.

Until Ravius starts to laugh. I freeze.

"Stupid boy," he says, with his back to me, "I _can _hear you, you know." He walks away, then abruptly turns around. His eyes pierce at me, sending daggers at me. "Gale, if you want to kill me, just know that you're killing the wrong person." He laughs, uncomfortably. "Kill my bastard father, instead."

He turns around again, and comes so close to my face, that I can smell the brandy on his breath when he speaks.

"He's the one you want to kill. Not me." He says, "I'm just a spoiled brat with a rotten attitude – I know. But trust me; I wouldn't want to slowly kill off my country's population with those stupid Games."

He steps back, seemingly from a lack of balance, as he takes a gulp from the bottle.

"I've got better things to do than watch people fight to the death," he says with that stupid smug smirk on his lips.

"Now, Gale. We've had our little chat," he takes another drink, "go to sleep. You've been awake longer than you think. We're all the way across the world!"

He slinks his way over to the couch and lies down on it.

I don't know who this kid is, and I might not ever know. But I can't help but wonder, what made him this way? What made him this bitter, sarcastic alcoholic? At least when I was on morphling, I had a (somewhat) valid reason: Katniss. But she's in my past, I don't need to think about her. Here, she is unknown. She – she doesn't matter to me anymore. Much.

Ravius stares at me with his lazy green eyes. His smirk remains through anything, I've noticed. I finally realize how similar he looks to Ivory, aside from the black hair. Are they related?

"Who _are _you?" I ask him.

He scoffs, "I'm Ravius. My word, you're strange. We've already had this conversation."

"That's not what I meant dipshit."

He throws his hands up, pretending to be offended. "No need for harsh words," he answers sarcastically, "I'm Ravius. Just Ravius. If you mean who I am to Ivory, I'm Ravius to her, too. Just Ravius. I'm nothing more than a _friend._" He laughs, again.

He must have seen my confusion, because he laughs at me again. I can't tell for sure, but I think I hear him mumble _fool _under his breath.

I roll my eyes and walk back to my room.

The thick, lush carpet greets me. Although I don't like this Capitol, it's more comforting than a conversation with a drunk Capitol snob. Stupid Ravius.

I take off my shirt and crawl into bed. I instantly fall into a dreamless sleep – and I'm thankful for that. I don't want to see anyone's face now.

I wake up the next morning – at least I presume its morning, since the sunlight is beating down on my exposed back. I shower quickly and change into another Capitol costume. It's a strange hoodie that leaves my arms exposed and the tightest pair of pants known to mankind. Luckily, I find my hunting boots, so I wear those. But unfortunately the rest of this outfit is left up to whatever this Capitol finds fitting. At least I'll fit in.

I glance at my reflection through a mirror on the closet door.

_What the fuck, man?_

These Capitol clothes are so weird! Whatever, _they _can take me seriously – even if I can't.

_I feel like a girl in this._

I leave my room, and I see Ivory skipping by, although I can't understand how, since she's wearing those incredibly tall shoes again. Her hair is down, and today it's as pink as her long strapless fluffy dress. She stops skipping once she sees me, and greets me with a smile, but remains silent.

I see a figure chasing after her, from the corner of my eyes, and before I have time to react, the person hugs Ivory, catching her off-guard. She giggles wildly. Then I see who it is: Ravius. But for once, he doesn't have a smirk – strange. His smile looks real, genuine.

_Okay, but what did I just walk into?_

Ravius looks up and the second he sees me, his lips return to what must be normal for them – that stupid smirk.

"Looks like Gale finally decided to wake up," he says, condescendingly. I notice that his hands are around Ivory's hips.

_Okay, so are they together or not? Mixed signals, man! _

Ravius' hair has streaks of red in it today, and his eyes are lined in jet black. He's also wearing all black, which is strange for the Capitol's neon standards.

Ivory playfully taps his nose, and he lets go of her so she can skip off again. His real smile returns as he watches her go, but it returns to a smirk as he turns back to me.

"I can see the jealously all over your face, you know." He says, "You want her. Even if you don't realize it yet – you do. You want her. But she's not _yours._"

"I don't want her!" I say in defense, but once I utter the words, I realize what a lie that is. I _do _want her. I want to hold her. I want to kiss her. I want to protect her from this disaster of a country.

Ravius leans in toward me, inches away from my face.

"Liar." He whispers, sending chills down my spine.


	8. Chapter 8

_Note: For those of you who don't know, my story and THGgoddess4ever's story both intertwine. We both love the character Ravius so much, we decided to share him. *For the record, he is my creation* So if you want to see more of him, read her story; I'm not sure if she put up the chapter where he comes in yet, but it will be good. Angel – Massive Attack_

Ravius turns away and begins to walk away. He stops mid-step, and turns back to me. His mint eyes pierce min, sending chills down my back. He taps his foot impatiently.

"You don't want to answer?" he remarks sarcastically. "You're not much of a talker, are you? You never really have anything to say. Silence can be admirable, but it can also be a sign of weakness."

_Okay, sure. Or I have nothing I want to say to you._

I remain silent, although that might just prove his point. He lowers his eyes, and when he lifts them, he looks at me up and down a few times.

"Well," he says, stepping closer to me, "I suppose we'll just have to find other ways to talk."

Immediately, I am pressed up against the wall; my wrists pinned down, and unable to move. Ravius' eyes are fixed on me, and I can't tell what they're filled with. Fascination? I try to escape his hold, but it's impossible. His thin frame proves stronger than it appears. He laughs at my struggle.

"We'll talk this way," he says, and in an instant, his lips are on mine. I can actually taste the whisky on his lips.

_What. The. Fuck._

I try to move my face away in vain. Ravius holds me tighter to the wall, and he presses his chest to mine. I just want to leave, this is so messed up. I attempt to yell, but Ravius is still in my way. He hols my wrists tighter now, I almost think I might lose circulation.

He lifts up his head and smirks at me.

"Welcome to the Capitol, Gale. I hope you enjoy your stay." He presses himself to me again, before I have a chance to turn away. He licks my lips as he pulls away, then winks and finally releases me. He casually walks away.

_What just happened?_

I'm so shocked that I just stand there for a while. I lean my head against the wall, and slowly sink to the floor, holding my head in my hands.

Okay, what.

So, first Ivory and Ravius are all over each other, and then… he's all over me. This makes no sense. Even for the Capitol. Well, actually, maybe for this Capitol, I wouldn't know. I was pretty sure Ravius hated me! He looked down at me as if I were some sort of animal or something. But then this?

"Why, why, why?" I mumble to myself, under my breath.

_Why is this happening?_

I get up off the floor, and do what I do best – escape reality. Or at least try, seeing no morphling and I really don't want alcohol. I'll have to settle for distraction. Whatever it is that this Capitol can offer to me.


	9. Chapter 9

_Note: Man Next Door – Massive Attack_

I walk aimlessly around the streets. I'm thankful that the people here leave me alone. I want nothing to do with them. Or anyone. I don't even want my own thoughts. I don't want to relive that. Or relive watching Ravius holding Ivory. Ivory should be mine. I took care of her in the forest. And did Ravius? No. He probably only knows how to get drunk.

_Oh, Ivory, you choose some winning guys, don't you?_

I slow my pace once I think of her. I think of when I first met her. More like when I woke up to find her talking care of me. She seemed so calm. So different. Maybe it's because of her crazy hair and outfits that I see a change.

She really is so different form anyone I've ever know. Maybe it was because instead of being depressed and hollow like everyone in 12, she was happy. Something that I'm not really used to.

I can't even compare her to Katniss. Maybe that's why I'm so drawn to Ivory. She's absolutely nothing like the girl I loved for so many years.

Loved. Past tense. But do I really no longer love Katniss? Not in the way I used to. Now she is a memory I'll never have the chance to relive. The dream I'll never dream again.

Now I have Ivory. She's who I should spend my time worrying about. She's who I can turn to now. She's who I need now. She's who I want to hold in my arms to comfort me.

I start to imagine her standing in front of me; her long hair is flowing and dyed a pastel pink. Her mind eyes stare kindly into mine, and a smile plays on her lips.

I look up and realize that I've walked into the busiest part of the Capitol. There is a mess of people walking in every direction. With all their neon colours, they all look like a moving rainbow. I stop and look around me. The buildings are tall and grey. They are so shiny that they look like a giant mirror. Some people bump into me, but I ignore them.

That is, until I hear a familiar set of voices.

"Where's Gale?" I hear Ivory say. She sounds clearly worried.

Ravius scoffs, "He couldn't have gotten that far. He's not the sharpest one."

As much as I would love to see Ivory, I really can't face Ravius. I start to weave my way through people to get away. I can still hear them behind me, but they're at a safe distance. I run into the closest shop there is, without looking, just to get away. A lingerie shop apparently? Oh, well. I doubt they'd find me here.

The shop owner who has sharp long nails and blue hair greets me and informs me of some sale. Because I'm _obviously _buying a silk bra. I roll my eyes.

"Gale!"

I turn around, and I see Ivory running right at me. She embraces me, and our lips meet instantly. They're softer than I could have ever imagined. I close my eyes and hold her close. I can feel that she's broken into a smile.

She pulls back for a moment and stares at me. She's softly laughing. She kisses me again, and wraps her arms around my neck.

"I thought," she says in-between our kisses, "I'd never see you again. I thought you left us. You were gone so long."

I don't answer, I just pull her closer. This feels so good. So right.

But then, of course, I hear Ravius laughing darkly. Ivory moves away from me and I see Ravius leaning against a mannequin modeling a neon skimpy outfit. His pale eyes pierce mine.

"Oh, Gale," He says cryptically, "I didn't know I'd have to share."

I'm instantly filled with disgust. I don't know if he's talking about sharing Ivory… or me.


	10. Chapter 10

_Note: I'm so sorry I haven't updated at all recently. I hope to update more, but with my ADD, who knows how that will work out. I hoped you guys liked the last chapter. Anyways, your songs for this chapter: Dissolved Girl – Massive Attack; Tear You Apart – She Wants Revenge; I Like It – Moby. _

Ivory and I walk through the Capitol, hand in hand. She said she wanted to show me my new home, although I'm not quite sold on this yet. I don't like the idea of living in a place I've hated my entire life – even if it's in Niseno not Panem. But she still tries to prove to me that this is paradise.

Ravius left us hours ago. He just walked away from us, laughing while pulling out a pack of cigarettes. We took that as our freedom to roam the city. It's darker out now, just at sunset, although the endless lights simulate daytime. Colourful advertisements plague every building. The ground is completely free of litter or even dirt. I think they actually groom their sidewalks. This entire country is like a rainbow on crack.

Ivory walks me in and out of stores, each one decorated elaborately. On looks like a crystalline cave, while the next looks like a melting pot of tar. Ivory clearly loves the boutiques, so I patiently wait for her as she picks up her crazy outfits, I'm sure to see in the near future.

She does make an effort to show me everything this Capitol has to offer, but I am still wary of it all. Although, I do enjoy the large open park they have. Well, park is what they call it; it's more like a contained oasis. It has sand all around it – carefully groomed to look pristine – and in the center is a deep lake with clear water that gradually becomes a pale turquoise, and fish of every colour.

Ivory and I sit on the edge of the lake, dipping our feet in it. She smiles at me.

"I wanted to show you that, even though you probably hate it here, it's not that bad." She grins and looks back at the clear water. "I know it's not what you're used to, but hopefully you'll stay here. With me." She blushes and looks down at her lap. She looks embarrassed. Cute.

"I guess I can stay," I tell her after a moment has passed, "I don't really have anywhere else to go."

She instantly snaps her head up and beams at me, "Wonderful!" she says, "Absolutely wonderful!"

We stay at the lake for a while, just talking. She tells me how she has known Ravius since they were children. I tell her very little of my past. I'm not a very open person. I want to trust her, but I'm not so sure I can yet. I don't mention Katniss to her at all.

Ivory stands up, and I follow her lead. I brush the sand off my pants, and look at her. She looks beautiful in the moonlight. Her hair is now messy and some of her waves flow in front of her smooth childlike face.

"Let's go home," she says to me, taking my hand. The bright and colourful streets aren't as full anymore, so we make it back to the house relatively easily. Ivory unlocks the door by punching in some numbers to a screen. We enter the house, and are greeted by lonely darkness. She turns on the lights, illuminating the neon living room.

"I'll be right back," she tells me. She walks to her room, so I take a seat on the black couch. I look around, and I'm not shocked when I see Ravius staring at me from the corner of the room. He has a glass filled with a clear liquid – presumably vodka. He smirks at me and strolls over to me, then sits down on the couch, and kicks his feet up on the coffee table. He gulps down his drink and looks over to me. His lazy eyes are dilated, and he smirks again.

"I'm sorry," he says, "for earlier."

I remain silent. I can't believe him.

He leans over to me. "I should have at least asked if you were interested." He winks at me. "But I mean, who _wouldn't _be interested in this?"

I try my hardest to not let my irritation show on my face. Ravius gets up off the couch and slinks away to a cabinet containing more alcohol. He returns with a bottle of vodka, and drinks straight from it.

"You know," he says, with a slight slur to him words, "when I was little, I thought I was going to marry Ivory." He looks straight ahead, avoiding my eyes, "Yeah. I actually thought we'd have a future. We were perfect. And I'd become President once my father died. I could give her the entire world." He turns over to me again, and moves closer than comfortable to me. "But you. You are something." His smirk tightens. "You are just what she needs." Then he says quieter, "What I need."

He drinks from the bottle again.

"Alcohol builds up my courage." He says with a shallow laugh.

"For what?" I ask, fearing what he'll try to do to me next.

He laughs softly, "You'll see. Soon enough."

Just then, at that moment, Ivory returns. He hair is blonde again, and she is wearing only a short, loose cotton dress. He face is clear of makeup. She looks so good like this. So real.

"Oh, Ravius," she says quietly, "you're here."

He smiles at her, "Here I am. The one and only."

Ivory looks around, uneasily. Strange. Were they actually together? Shit. If they were, I have completely fucked everything up.

"I take it that we're through." Ravius slurs, after gulping down some vodka.

_Shit. They were together._

"Ravius," Ivory says, trying to soothe him, "We've been through since we were fifteen."

_Okay, then I'm still good._

"Really, Ivory? Really?" he snaps back at her, "Then what have you been doing this whole time?"

Ivory clenches her fists, and looks gravely at the floor. "Ravius. That's in the past."

"No, Ivory. It's not. Otherwise you wouldn't be so goddamned pissed right now!" Ravius yells, while standing up. He looks a little dizzy, so obviously, the alcohol has made its way through his veins.

_But what is going on? _I feel so awkward just sitting here in the middle of this. And what does he mean? Did they stay together or something? Am I just a reject option number two? Dammit, Ivory!

While a war is going on in my mind, I remain silent as I watch the anger between the two unfolding.

"Go ahead, Ivory," Ravius taunts, "Tell Gale all about us. I bet he'd _love _that! He would just love you so much more when he knows how quickly you can change your mind. How you use people like toys, and how once they break you throw them away. Just like you threw me away." He turns to me, a smirk on his lips, "You're next, Gale."

_Okay, seriously, is this real? Is he telling the truth? Or is he just a drunk lost in the past? _I'm swarmed with questions, yet I remain silent through it all.

Ivory looks ashamed. _So it must be true, right?_

Ravius laughs, sarcastically. "Tell him, Ivory." He taunts, "Tell him everything."

"That's enough, Ravius." She has tears brimming at her minty eyes, and her face is flushed. She gasps, ready to start sobbing, and she runs to her room.

I'm so lost by what just happened. All I know is that, either I just ruined everything, or she did – or that whole _Ravius is drunk _theory. I'm so confused, yet angry. I'm furious, because if what Ravius said is true, then Ivory is probably just going to change her mind about me. She won't even care about me. I won't matter to her in a matter of days. I'm so pissed, I could scream. But still, I bite my tongue. I hold my head in my hands. Ravius _must _be lying. He has to be. Ivory isn't like that. Is she?

After all, I've only known her for, what, 3 days? I can't fall in love with someone that fast. But, I realize, I can forget about someone. Just like Ivory forgot about Ravius, I've forgotten about Katniss. But is that really bad? Is it bad to want to be happy? I don't think so.

I'm snapped back into reality, when I hear Ravius laughing to himself.

"Gale," He says, now sitting next to me again. He sounds unusually kind, "You look down. Here –" he passes me the bottle of vodka "–This will help, trust me."

I take a sip of the drink, hoping for it to help calm my nerves. Ravius smiles when I drink.

"Is what you said true?" I ask him. I can feel the liquid burning in my throat.

"Yeah," he says, kicking his feet up on the table again.

I look down at my hands, which are holding the bottle with the clear liquid inside.

"Look," he says to me, "I know I'm an ass. A fucking sexy one." He laughs to himself. "But," he says, serious again, "you needed to know. And Ivory can't forget me that quickly."

I sigh. The anger has passed. The anger I had moments ago has passed, now turned to sadness.

"On the plus side," Ravius says with a smirk, "you still have me."

Despite myself, I laugh at this. Strangely, Ravius joins in my laughter. I take a gulp of the burning vodka, and it makes it easier to laugh. Ravius and I laugh as if we'd just heard the best joke ever. It's strange, but comforting.

"Hey," he says, starting to lean in to me, "it's either me or my sloppy seconds."

I roll my eyes at this, but we continue to laugh.

I've never seen Ravius as comfortable as he is now. But that's probably just because he's so drunk.

What he said to Ivory was harsh, and I don't even know if it's true. There's only one way to find out: I have to talk to her. Maybe is it true; maybe I did mess everything up. But… Maybe I didn't. Maybe things were already broken beyond repair.

I can begin to feel a bit of the effects of the alcohol, so I hesitate before getting up. Ravius is slowly leaning into me, and so I stand up, quickly, even though that causes a moment of disorientation. I look back, and Ravius seems perfectly content with just his bottle. _Such _an alcoholic.

I find her room easily, although I've never been inside it. The door is solid white, fitting with her name. All the other doors are neon, aside from on black door – easily Ravius'. I knock lightly on her door three times, but she doesn't answer, so I call her name.

"Ivory please," I say, after a long silence, "I just want to talk to you."

"Gale," she calls back, through the door, "Not now. Please?" I can hear the tears in her voice.

"Please Ivory?" I ask, "I just want to talk to you. That's all."

After a long silence, she opens the door and quickly turns her back, retreating to her bed. Her room is so pale. The floors are a fluffy white carpet and the walls are white with gold stripes painted in. Her bed is huge with gold pillows stacks everywhere. I enter her lavish room. She sits on the edge of her massive bed. Her eyes are red and puffy and her breaths come out shallow and uneven. She looks even more fragile than she usually does.

_Poor Ivory._

"I bet," she says in between soft sobs, "that you never want to see me again."

"No." I say, stepping closer, "I just want to know what's true."

"Well. Ravius and I." she looks down at her hands. "It doesn't matter, Gale. Really. It doesn't!" She looks down at her hands. "Who are you going to trust? Me? Or an alcoholic?"

_Point._

"I don't want Ravius." She says. "I want you."

She stands up and walks over to me. I hesitate before answering.

"I-I want you too." I say looking away, "but this is wrong. I mean, with _Ravius_ and all."

"Please just forget that." She says, stepping closer. "He's not here anyways."

I sigh, and look down at the floor. Ivory touches my hand, and she keeps it in her grasp.

"I don't know, Ivory." I say.

"You're being irrational Gale." She says, pulling her hand away. "Besides, Ravius is drunk. It's not like he'll even care."

It really sickens me how fast she could forget about Ravius. Maybe he was right, she just uses people. But maybe… Maybe they're not together? And this isn't her forgetting him.

Ivory's hands have found mine again. She is slowly moving her hands up my arms until she has reached my neck, sending chills down my spine. I'm hesitant, but I can tell where things are heading. And I want to do so many things with her, that I don't object. Screw Ravius. I'm with Ivory.

Our lips meet very softy, barely brushing, but it quickly becomes more intense. I pull her close up to me, wrapping my arms around her waist. _I want more. _

As if she could read my mind, Ivory steps back, pulls my hand and leads me to her bed. _More, more. _She lays down on her back, and I lean over her, and our lips melt together again. I pull back to look at her. She has a blissful smile on her plump lips, her cheeks flushed, and her long hair spilling all over the gold pillows.

"This is wrong." I say, reminding myself of what _might _be going on between her and Ravius.

"No," she says, throwing her arms around my neck, "this is perfection." She pulls me back to her, and we kiss like this is our last moment on earth. We're both filled with lust, and we just want more and more of each other. Our kisses move away from our mouths; I begin to kiss her neck. She is giggling in my ears. We turn so that we are now sitting up. Ivory wraps her legs around me, sitting on my thighs. _This feels so amazing. I want more. I want every bit of Ivory to myself. _Ivory is who I need.

Ivory's hands are pulling at my shirt. We stop kissing only to pull it off. Ivory's hands run over my chest. She giggles, and I kiss her again. I playfully bite her lip, and she seems to love it. My hands easily slid up her short dress. I can feel every bit of her curves. I pull the dress over her. Underneath her clothes is a lacy pink bra and matching thong.

She starts to tug on my pants, which are quickly removed. All through this, I keep thinking _I want more. _We both know where things are going tonight. There's no turning back. She's all mine. I'm all hers.

Our lips meet again, as we feel every bit of each other. She has the softest skin, that feels amazing in my hands. Ivory pulls back, and looks into my eyes.

"Gale," she says, breathlessly.

"Yes?"

"You're not leaving this room tonight."

"I wasn't planning on that," I say with a devilish smile.

My hands easily find her bra hook, which I take off. She presses her bare chest to mine, as I kiss her neck. Both of us tug on the other's underwear, which are both quickly removed. We stop kissing only to look at each other. We are both entirely naked. She looks even more perfect and angelic than she ever has before – if even possible. Her long messy waves flow down her back. I don't know what Ivory sees, aside from my many hunting scars. My battle wounds.

She smiles at me, like she is hiding a dirty secret. _It's happening. _

She gets up off the bed, only to quickly lock the door. She returns to me, and she instantly embraces me. She jumps on the bed, and tosses over the pillows.

"Come here, Gale." She sings as she reaches for me. "I like this," she says once I'm leaning over her, staring into her mint eyes.

She throws her arms around my neck and pulls my lips to hers.

And then.

Both our lips and our bodies connect. And it feels beyond amazing. Ivory's nails dig into my back as we move. Our breathing is loud and heavy. I worry that I'm hurting, but that fear quickly dissolves once I can tell that she's enjoying this as much as I am.

"More Gale, more!" she urges.

We roll on the side of the bed as her hips dance on me. I can't even explain how good this feels. Ivory's nails sink deeper into my back, and her head swings backward and she makes a loud animalistic sound. Her lips are instantly back on my lips.

She bites my lips. Her breathing is heavy and sounds good in my ears. We move again, and she wraps her legs around my back. We keep trying to get closer and closer, as we move in snakelike ways.

Her hips are pressed to mine, and I make a sound that is equally as animalistic as the one Ivory makes. I stop moving by choice, and my body takes control, without me thinking. Ivory's smooth skin feels heavenly against mine. Her nails feel like they're breaking through my skin, but I don't care. She pushes me on my back as she rocks on top of me. Her long hair swings over her curves and she looks like she's lost in a delightful trance.

I can feel myself surge through her. I lean my head back, and Ivory separates up. She lies down next to me, and holds onto my chest. She hides her face in my chest. She sighs, and I wrap my arms around her. Her breathing steadily becomes softer, until she eventually falls asleep. I stay awake for a bit, just holding her. I can feel her chest moving with every breath she takes. She looks so peaceful. I keep thinking to myself how she looks like an angel. Finally exhaustion takes over, and I fall asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

_Note: Thank you all for reading. Please let me know what you like, what you don't like, etc. I love hearing from you .Also, I want to let you know that I have so many chapters handwritten, I'm just so damn lazy that I never type them up. Well, and I change them a bit, naturally. Euphoria – Blackbird Blackbird_

I wake up immediately when I hear my name being whispered. I open my eyes, and I'm greeted by the sight of Ivory. Her mint eyes stare into mine, and her messy hair flows over her shoulders. She's still naked, and so am I. She smiles at me, and hugs me.

"Good morning." She says.

"Sorry," I mumble, sitting up. "I guess I was just tired. Did I keep you waiting?"

"Not at all." She says, kissing me. "I brought you some clothes for today."

_Oh, great. That's going to look wonderful. God, what other mistakes in fabric can this place give me?_

Ivory gets off the bed and walks to her closet that lights up when she opens it. She pulls out a neatly folded stack of clothes, and hands it to me. I examine the clothes, and instantly decide that I don't like them. I put them on anyways, since I know it will be easier to blend in. I look down at my outfit, once it's on and think to myself how horrible it is. It's a tight pair of metallic silver pants, and a sheer blue long sleeve t-shirt. Oh, God.

When I look back at Ivory, she is already clothed. She's wearing a bright turquoise skirt with a gold belt. As for a top, she's only wearing a matching gold bra. Obviously this Capitol doesn't mind showing of their bodies. Not that I mind.

Ivory turns to see me. She examines me carefully. She clearly admires the "outfit" she chose for me. She smiles and tells me that I look perfect. Even though I feel so out of place.

"Ivory," I say to her, awkwardly, not knowing what words might spill from my mouth, "about last night–"

"Gale," she says, cutting me off, "I wouldn't change a thing."

"Well, me neither," I say, slowly, "but what about Ravius?"

Ivory never actually told me if they were or weren't together. And with what Ravius told me, I'm still very cloudy about it. I want to know if what we did was right or wrong. Maybe what he said was true. Maybe… Maybe Ravius was right. Is Ivory using me like he said? Well, she is making me her little doll, now that I think about it. I mean, she is dressing me up and playing with me. But am I going to be tossed aside when she's done with me? I just don't know. I leave the room before I do something stupid.

Ivory stops me, and looks deeply into my eyes.

"Ravius is a dirty liar when he's drunk." She says. "He knows that I don't care about him. I have never used him. He just wants to confuse you."

"Alright," I say, "I believe you. Let's get some breakfast, then."

As I close the door behind us, I see a note on the door. It's addressed to me, so I open it. Sloppy handwriting inside reads:

_Hey, Gale. It's Ravius. Come to my room when you're done screwing around in there. I have to talk to you about something._

_P.S. You looked really cute today._

_P.P.S. I won't kiss you again._

Well, obviously he knows what went down last night. Shit. This kid has absolutely no idea of what boundaries are.

Ivory asks me what it is, and I tell her that Ravius wants to talk to me. She tells me to go talk to him. She said she'll wait for me. Without a word, she leaves to the kitchen.

I reluctantly head over to his room, with the note in my hand. The door to his room is all black, and I open it, only to reveal more darkness. Everything is black – the walls, the wood floors, the bed, and so on. There are bits of red throughout, but for the most part all dark. The bed is a mess, but when I see a pale back and black hair sticking out, I know it's Ravius.

I walk over to the bed and tap his shoulder. He stirs, but doesn't wake up.

"Ravius." I say, seriously, "Wake up." I tap his shoulder again.

He flops over onto his back and slowly opens his eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he says, rubbing his eyes. "You can't see me before I'm attractive."

"Shut up, Ravius." I say, rolling my eyes.

He leans his head back and keeps rubbing his eyes. "Do you have any idea how fucking painful this hangover is?" He groans and shoves a pillow over his face.

"What is it?" He asks through the pillow.

"Your note?" I answer. _How can he not even remember?_

He lifts the pillow from his face. "Oh, that."

I give him a clearly fake tight smile.

"We'll talk about that later." He says, slowly sitting up. He winces, from a heavy headache. "As for now, how was Ivory? She's a good fuck, huh?"

_What? What the fuck, Ravius!_

I remain silent as he slinks out of his bed. He's wearing only a loose pair of black pants that hang from his hipbones. I finally see just how thin he really is. He walks heavily over to his dresser and pulls out a tight black tank that he immediately puts on.

"Anyways, I'm sorry yet again. I know I said something stupid, didn't I? I do that a lot when I'm drunk."

"Yeah, you did say… a few things."

"Well, anyways, I'm sure you found out they were false. I am a rotten liar as a drunk."

"That's an understatement."

"Yeah, yeah." Ravius sits down on his bed and continues, "Well, this sucks. Now that you two are pretty much a thing, that makes getting you much more difficult."

"_You're _being quite honest."

Ravius shrugs as an answer, "Well, I've got nothing left to lose."

After a strange silence, I speak up again. "I don't assume this is what your letter was about."

"You're right. This isn't what it's about at all." Ravius brushes his messy hair away from his face, "I actually need your help."

_Well, you're fucking lucky that I'm feeling generous._

"Yeah?"

"I need you to help me become President."

"Why the hell should I?"

"Gale, I know this seems crazy. And, hell, it is." He sighs, "But I know you and I share something in common. We both despise the Hunger Games. I know you're not from this country, but I really doubt you would want something like that to continue anywhere. Which is why… I want you to help me become President."

_What?_

"How can we even do that?"

"Simple." Ravius answers with a smirk, "We kill my dad."


	12. Chapter 12

_Note: I hope you're all enjoying the story. Let me know what you think. I'm so slow at uploading, so once again, I apologize. Also, I was up until 2 AM just writing character analyses, so trust me, they are fucking complex. Song: __ジューダス（ゴールドフラップ・リミックス）__- __レディー・ガガ_

_Kill his dad? The President? Yeah, like that's going to happen. _

"Ravius," I say, shaking my head, "How the _fuck _can we pull off a stunt like that?"

He looks away, and sighs. He turns to look at me, with a desperate expression on his face. "I really don't know. But I do know that we have to do it."

"Well, Ravius, I'm going to be completely honest with you: I barely know you, how can I trust you that we're doing the right thing? Besides, that's a lot to ask for."

"I know." He sighs again, "I just don't know what to do. Look, my fucking father is destroying this country. And I know it's not really my responsibility – yet – but I want to help this country for the better. And the current President is going to drive everyone to insanity."

He looks intensely into my eyes. I know he's being honest – that he really does want to help, but I still hesitate. How can I trust a stranger? How can I make a decision like this? How can I choose to kill another human that I know nothing about. This isn't even my home country.

But Ravius is right. The Hunger Games need to end. If this is the only way, then so be it.

"I'm in." I say, finally.

Ravius closes his eyes, and sighs with relief. "Oh thank God." He says.

"Ravius," I say, "I really don't know how we can do this. You're insane. I hope you know that."

His smirks. "Well, Gale, I've known that since I was a child." He laughs. "Well, I guess you can go now, I have you shower and such. I mean, unless you'd like to stay."

"I'll pass." I say, as I leave and close his black door.


	13. Chapter 13

_Note: Wow, I'm so sorry that last chapter was so short. I actually feel guilty about that. I was rushing so much. Also, I think I've mentioned this before, but check out my friend's story (THGgoddess4ever). Our stories are connected. It won't make sense for a while (we both have our chapters to type up, before you can really see the connection; I will say that we share characters, though). Your song for this chapter: Ball and a Biscuit – The White Stripes_

I look into the ceiling of my bedroom. The lights are all out, and I should be sleeping. I never can sleep. Dreams always escape me, or I'm greeted with nightmares. Instead, I choose to look at the ceiling, and think. My arm is around Ivory, and I can feel her softy breathing. She's so cute.

Two months passed by quickly. Ivory and I are madly in love with each other. It can't be escaped. I can't stop thinking about her, and I spend all my time with her. I still think of Katniss. I don't think I've ever actually forgotten her, or gotten over her. Sometimes looking at Ivory, I imagine it's Katniss. I imagine that she's smiling at me with her familiar grey eyes, and her signature braid is falling down her back.

But I know she's gone. She's not a part of my life anymore, as much as I wish she was. I miss her so much, sometimes it hurts. I can't be in love with two people, yet I am. I can't explain the joy it brings to see Ivory, and the pain I have when I think to myself that I'm betraying Katniss.

Katniss, Katniss. I miss her. I really wish that she would have run away with me back when we had the chance. But then, I know, regretfully, that I wouldn't know Ivory. But… Would she even matter if I had Katniss? No. She wouldn't. Ivory would just be another spoiled brat, like Madge. I want nothing to do with those people. Yet, here I am, living in the Capitol, no less!

I'm such a hypocrite.

Ravius hasn't brought up anything about our assassination plan since. We have become closer, if that's what I should call it. He's my friend now, yet he still tries to hit on me. I don't think it's even crossed his mind that I'm not interested in him. I've grown used to it, and I think of it as a joke, although deep down, I'm sure he's hoping I'll give in to him.

He's still an alcoholic, and I doubt he'll ever stop drinking. He tells me nothing of his personal life. He always keeps a cool distance from any other human. He seems like he wants to control and escape at the same time. I know that the assassination will free him somehow. I actually want to help him somehow. I don't know how, aside from killing his father.

His father. The President.

Shit.

I cringe every time I think about killing him. I know it's going to be a hell of a bitch to kill him. I don't know how we could get past security or anything.

I haven't even told Ivory what we're planning.

I don't want to tell her, though. I want to keep her safe from all of this. If she gets involved in it, she could be in serious danger. I know she's a weak girl, unlike Katniss. She couldn't protect herself for shit. She really couldn't.

I look over at her. Her hair is flopped over her face, and she looks almost like a child. So innocent.

I get up off the bed silently, and leave her white room that we now share.

I wander aimlessly around the house, exploring new rooms that I never have the time to see during the day. All the rooms are taken care of meticulously. Ivory hired a bunch of maids, and they constantly clean up the house. It's a shame, since not many of these rooms get any use.

The house seems almost eerie at night. I know for a fact that I'm not the only one awake, since Ravius is basically nocturnal. He wakes up around 3 pm every day, then he stays up until exhaustion finally takes over. Or until the alcohol knocks him out. I steer clear of his room; I just don't feel like talking now. I want solitude.

I want to know that everything is okay. But I know not everything is okay. Not for me, at least. Inside my mind is a constant battle. I want to be with Ivory, but I keep feeling as if I'm betraying Katniss. Which is bullshit. Katniss betrayed _me._ And I stupidly chose to forgive her. I chose to ignore her. I ignore reality. And the reality is this: She has Peeta. And she loves him more than she could ever love me.

I sigh, and I finally return back to bed.

I turn away from Ivory, who is deep in sleep. Tears begin to fall down my face, and I ignore them, until I finally fall into a dreamless sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

_Author's Note: Hello everyone! I am so sorry for that random hiatus. Anyways, spoiler alert: they all die. I'm just kidding. But seriously, some info for you. I will bring Johanna in this story. But it's not happening for a while. Sorry, I have quite a bit of writing to do before that happens. Remember, kids, don't have sex. You could get pregnant and die. Wow, A+ for me writing this long intro thing. Anyways, Kaylee is over here so if this chapter is all fucked, blame her. I'm just kidding. I'm not erasing that. Somebodyyyy that I used to know. Stand beside her and guide it in her. Kaylee is reading everything in a Smeagle voice. "Don't they have condoms?""No, they use bushes." "Heh. Get it. Bushes." I'm bad at writing sex scenes, okay. But we're all just horny teens. AHAHA Don't do drugs, kids._ _Song: Baptism – Crystal Castles_

I wake up, and my eyes are still sore. Ivory is standing in the corner of her room, staring out of the window.

"Good morning, perfect." I say to her. I try to push back any thoughts of Katniss that plagued me the previous night.

"Hey," she says, with a smile playing on her lips. She looks at me blissfully. "I have some good news."

"Oh yeah?" I ask, expectantly. "What is it?"

She sighs, hesitating. "Well, you know how you told me you always wanted a family?" She giggles, walking closer to me.

I'm shocked.

"Really?" I ask, beaming.

I run over to her, and embrace her in my arms. She kisses me softly.

"I'm pregnant." She finally says, making it true.

I place my hands over her stomach, as if I can feel the child. I can't believe this is real.

I can't believe I have a future now.

I am going to be a father.

Ivory will be a mother.

We're going to be a family.

"I love you so much," I say smiling , holding Ivory around the waist, holding her closer.

"I – I love you too." Ivory is tearing up in her eyes, but I can tell it's from happiness.

She holds onto my shirt tightly. She pulls me in and our lips connect instantly. Her hands tangle in my hair as she pulls me closer. I pull away before moving my lips to her neck, planting light kisses on a trail to her collarbone. I push the strap of her lacy nightgown off her shoulder causing it to fall to the ground. She presses her body closer to me, her bare chest pressed against mine. My lips trail lower caressing her every curve. I feel her breath stiffen as my lips smooth over her abdomen. We are seized in this moment of passion. I wrap my as tightly around her, as I carry her to her bed. I kiss her neck as I set her on the thick pillows. I work my way down her body once again not stopping until I reach the spot between her hip bones. Ivory breathes in deeply as my lips move lower. My tongue softly massages her softness. She moans my name as I feel her throbbing in my mouth. Ivory tugs on me, pulling me back to her. My lips meet hers, as our tongues seductively caress the other.

Ivory moves on top of me, and ass she slowly slinks down my body, she removes my boxers. She looks up at me with lust in her eyes, as she licks her lips. She covers her mouth over me, sucking slowly on me. She looks up at me, as she increases her speed. It feels so incredible, I just want more. I feel myself release into her mouth. She swallows every drop leaving me speechless.

Ivory pushes herself back on top of me, taking control. I don't mind, because the ecstasy is too perfect. She sways her hips over me, releasing every endorphin. Our lips meet, but part instantly, my hand massages one of her breasts as my mouth works on her hardened nipple. Ivory moans as I finally roll us over, taking control again. We quicken our pace, and when I look at Ivory, she's in a trance. She moans louder, starting to scream my name, as her nails dig into my back, pulling me even closer. Ivory bites my shoulder, catching me off guard, when she flips us over, once again, claiming her dominance. My mouth finds her nipple again, and I gently bite on it. Ivory's breathing becomes erratic as we both near our climax. As we peak together, Ivory screams extremely loudly before collapsing on top of me. I lift Ivory gently placing her beside me. She sighs with satisfaction as do I. I brush away the hair that has fallen in front of her eyes as I place a light kiss on her forehead.

"I love you," she says still trying to catch her breath.

"I love you too, you mean the world to me." I say as I pull her closer to me; she rests her head on my chest. Her breathing begins to slow and even out as she falls asleep.

I lie awake with a smile on my face feeling proud of the future that lies ahead of me.


	15. Chapter 15

_Note: Well. I was actually not under any influence last chapter… for once. It shouldn't surprise you how similar Ravius and I are, then. Anyways. Song: Crystal Castles – Magic Spells. (Fun fact, I'm obsessed with Crystal Castles right now. Alice Glass is perfect.)_

Ivory begins to stir in my arms, and she finally wakes up. She looks up at me, with her big minty eyes. She smiles at me, softly.

"Hey," I say to her, smiling.

"Hi." She says with a sloppy smile on her lips.

"Maybe," I say, slightly embarrassed, "that wasn't the best reaction to finding out you're pregnant."

"Nah," she says, wrapping her arms around my neck, "it felt just right."

I kiss her softly, as we both slowly get off the bed.

"Breakfast?" I ask her, as she puts on a flowing dress.

Once we're both dressed again, we leave her white room, and head to the kitchen.

We're greeted by the strong scent of smoke, and Ravius holding up an extra long cigarette, leaning against the kitchen wall. His usually darkened eyes are now smudged from him forgetting to wash off his eyeliner. He looks at Ivory and I stoically as he inhales the thick smoke. He glares at me, then at Ivory.

"Could you guys celebrate more quietly?" He asks, without expression. "I have the worst headache right now, and I did _not _want to hear you guys through the fucking walls again." He shakes his head, then nods to Ivory, "Congrats. Shall we tell Volt?"

Ivory looks shocked. I have no idea what going on in her mind, but she looks confused and happy at the same time.

"You – you've talked to him?" She asks Ravius. "And, wait. How did you know?"

"Know what?" Ravius asks innocently, sucking on the cigarette, "I have no idea, but whatever you guys had to fuck for must have been pretty good."

_Oh, that's fucking nice, Ravius. Really classy._

I stifle a laugh, because of Ravius' complete lack of emotion when he says that.

Ravius finally smirks, and asks Ivory, "So what's the big news? I want to know!"

Ivory smiles shyly, "I'm going to have a baby."

Ravius immediately chokes on his cigarette smoke.

"Excuse me?" He says, shocked. "Gale, what the fuck? Ever heard of condoms?"

"Yeah, we did that too." I say, laughing, "Ravius, you're asking about my sex life. I'd just like to point that out. Usually you'd just tell me about yours."

He shakes his head, dragging from his cigarette. "So you two celebrate by fucking the living daylights out of each other. You know, my headphones are broken, and I can't block out your sound. Nasty."

I start laughing so hard, my face turns an ungodly shade of red.

Ivory finally speaks up. "Ravi, you talked to Volt? Is he here? I need to talk to him."

"Who's Volt?" I ask, stupidly.

Ravius stares at me for a while, looking shocked that I don't know. "That's Ivory's older brother. He's my best friend."

_Wow, I don't know anything._

"Anyways," Ravius says, again, "Volt's coming over today. He was in the Districts – can you believe that, Ivy? He was worried sick about you."

"And I wasn't?" Ivory scoffed. "Oh, well. At least I'll get to see him soon."

"Yeah," Ravius says, "And Gale, you can see him." A pained look crossed his face, but in an instant it was gone. Maybe I'd just imagined it. "He's coming over anytime now. You guys look… horrid. Get cleaned up, okay? I don't want him thinking I've abused you two."

Ravius is suddenly acting responsible, which I don't question, and I just go with it. Finally he's normal for once. I shrug, and head off to the shower in my room, and Ivory heads to hers.

After 20 minutes or so of showering and getting dressed, I emerge from my grey room, in a stormy blue flannel and tight jeans. I'm starting to get used to the Capitol fashions, so it doesn't bother me at all. I meet Ivory again, and she's in a typical all-white dress, with her long blonde hair flowing in waves down her back. She's clearly nervous about seeing Volt again, and I don't question it. I know I'd be nervous about seeing my younger siblings seeing me in a mess. But still, I'm curious why he was worried about her.

As Ivory and I eat our breakfast of bowls of fruits, Ravius walks in. He's wearing all black, typical of him, but his hair is spiked up more precise than normally, and his eyes are winged dramatically. He looks almost scary.

"Volt will be here any minute," he says, pacing the kitchen, lighting another cigarette. He runs a hand carefully through his hair, so not to mess up his styling. Ivory seems to share his nervousness.

A minute later, a loud knock sounded at the front door. Ivory jumped up as Ravius ran to answer it. Ivory follows him carefully, as I trail behind them.

"Volt!" I hear Ravius say, before I see the boy they are greeting.

He has extremely white hair, to match his pale skin. His eyes are yellow – if that's even physically possible. He's more built than Ravius and has a much more angular face. He looks at me with recognition.

"Gale, oh my God." He says to me, before Ravius silences him with a glare.

"Do I – do I know you?" I ask. The more I examine his face, the more familiar he seems. Do I know him? Do I? And I just don't realize it?


	16. Chapter 16

_Note: Two chapters in one day, heh. I'm on a roll! Not really, I'm just about to lose Internet for a while, so yeah. Plus that last one ended fairly badly. I mean, really? Really? But anyways, those of you who have read True Love, Never Forgotten by THGgoddess4ever, then some of the pieces are coming together. For those of you who haven't… Well, this story is not going to make much sense from now on. Anyways. Song: Courtship Dating – Crystal Castles_

Volt stares at me with a confused look on his face. I swear, he looks so familiar. _Must be because he's related to Ivory. _I watch Volt skeptically, before I finally say hello to him. He nods at me before turning his attention to Ravius. Ravius hugs him tightly. Volt is taller than Ravius, which makes Ravius seem like a small child.

"I missed you," Ravius says, holding him tighter. Volt replies by holding him back. The fluorescent boy looks over to Ivory.

"Why did you run off?" he asks, seriously.

"I was looking for you." She says. "Why'd you leave?"

"I thought you knew where I was. I was with Ravius."

Ravius glares at both of them, and his eyes look stabbing with his dramatic eyeliner.

"You guys can talk about that later." Ravius said. "As for now, I think Ivory has something to tell you."

I roll my eyes, and I am _so _going to be killed by her brother. Shit shit shit. Instead of waiting to hear them talk, I grab Ravius' arm, and drag him outside. He looks upset to leave Volt's arms, but I don't honestly care. I just don't want to be there when Volt finds out.

Once outside and far enough away, I ask Ravius for a cigarette, as I pace around the house like Ravius did in the kitchen earlier. I guess I should of thought this would happen before. Shit. Ravius hands me a cigarette and lights it.

"Thanks," I say, dragging it in. Ravius looks at me confused.

"What's bothering you?" he asks.

"Her brother is going to kill me." I say, sucking in the smoke. Ravius take a cigarette for himself, unable to go without one.

"Why? Because she's pregnant?" He nearly laughs.

"Obviously. Shit." I nervously suck on the cigarette. "He doesn't even _know _me. I didn't even know he existed! And oh, God. Now he's going to find out I'm – surprise! – a part of the damn family."

"Oh my God, Gale." Ravius says, looking at me with a smirk on his lips. "He's much nicer than that. He'll be pissed, but in the end, you're helping bring life into the world. He'll think highly of that. I mean, once he gets over the whole 'you got his sister pregnant' thing."

"Ravius, you're so stupid, sometimes. I hope you're fucking right."

"I know Volt more than I know anyone. He's my other half, pretty much." Ravius smiles at that thought, then continues, "I'll make sure he doesn't kill you, okay?"

I shrug, then I head back to the house, where I'm sure to be at the least, yelled at.

Volt sees me immediately. I instantly cringe; I'm fucking terrified. I know that Volt is clearly as muscular as me – probably more than me, since I've lost a lot of my strength from morphling. He could beat the shit out of me if he wanted!

He looks at me, and a tight smile comes onto his lips.

"Gale," he says, without any malice, "You could have just told me. I'm not upset at all. Well, I'm lying." _He's going to murder me while I sleep. _"I am a little pissed, but you know what? Ivory will be a great mom. And I can tell you're going to be a great dad."

Well.

That was unexpected.

"Most importantly," he continues, "I'm just happy that Ivory is okay. You've both taken good care of her."

I stare at his yellow eyes. They're too familiar for me to just blow it off. I know him. I've seen him before.

"I _know _you." I say, suddenly. "I don't know how, but I've – I've seen you before."

Ravius and Volt exchange looks. Volt just looks at me in return.

"Maybe we've seen each other around," he says, finally, "I was looking for Ivory, so I traveled the world."

That doesn't sound right, but I let it slide. _How do I know him?_

He talks to me like he knows me. But he just brushed it off. I know I know him. How? I want to know. Am I missing something? Maybe when I was drugged out, he talked to me. I wouldn't notice.

Instantly, Ravius is all over Volt, and unlike when Ravius tries to flirt with me, Volt seems fine with it. I guess Ravius' other half _is _Volt. The two look so opposite of each other, it's almost comical. Ravius is always decked out in all black, while Volt shines like a highlighter. The only similarity is the way they style their hair: spikey to the point where it looks like they were shocked with a plug. One all black, one all white. Yin and Yang.

They both start kissing each other, and I feel awkward for watching. It's obvious the two of them care about each other so much.

I turn to Ivory, who smiles at me, reassuringly. I'm not going to be killed by her brother.

Ha.

I watch Volt, even if it means watching Ravius shove his tongue down his throat. I recognize him, and I can't shake it.

Then.

An image comes to me.

It's more like a wave of pictures my mind has previously taken.

Volt – his hair is shorter. He looks confident. He's speaking to people – people I recognize, also. I can't place any of them. I hear him talking about the rebellion.

_The Rebellion!_

"Volt, I know you from the Rebellion," I say, finally, uneasily.

I hope this wasn't some figment of my imagination or else I'm fucked.

Volt moves away from Ravius.

"So, you remember me, heh?"

_**Note: Please let me know what the hell you guys think of this story! No one tell me anything. It's kind of frustrating, actually. What characters do you like? Let me know, okay?**_


	17. Chapter 17

_Note: Shout out to Osas1234 for being the only one to answer me. Heh. Ironically, I'll have to disagree. I have a thing against Ivory. But she means so much in the story. Kind of funny, since I hate my own characters. But I do love Ravius. I think once I finish this story (not for quite a while) I will make a chapter about all my hidden meanings and you guys will all be so mind-fucked. Song: Poolside – Slow Down_

**This is a side chapter from Ravius' point of view for the last 2 chapters and some more. This is essential to read to understand some things I've left out, that Gale couldn't possibly know.**

Niseno is a utopia. It is the one place in the world where intelligence, art, and love are all free and wild. As much perfection as there is here, we don't try to spread and conquer. We already control most of the islands anyways, it's not like Niseno needs anything more. In fact, we actually try to keep to ourselves. When growing up, I, along with the other children in the country, studied not only our history, but that of all the other countries. Panem always interested me, since they were so barbaric, unlike our advanced and classical intellect.

Maybe that's why Gale intrigued me so much. Not only was he gorgeous, but he also was so extremely different. He didn't seem to understand the common workings of our country. He was smart, no doubt, but not in the way Niseno dictates what smart is. He has sensibility. He is strong, loyal… And somewhat panicked. I know he'd never admit to it, but I've always noticed that he's a bit jumpy. Maybe it's just because we're all so strange to him, but maybe it's just who he is.

I really do like him – dangerously more than I should. I know he doesn't care for me. At least, not like _that. _He has Ivory, and I know better than to try to break those two up. I doubt Gale would ever have feelings for me. He was just like that. But of course, I still tried to – to grab his attention. To make him want me. I could tell it wasn't working, but I still tried. I can't help myself. It's how I always was.

Gale and Ivory have a beautiful relationship, and I have absolutely no business trying to break them apart. And I won't. I know they won't budge because of me.

But oh my god, they are way too loud.

Seriously, I cannot believe what I am hearing right now. I have a bad hangover – when don't I? – and they decide to make all the fucking noise in the world by fucking? It's too early in the day. I didn't want to hear this. I look over to my headphones which are sitting on my nightstand. They're split down the middle from that time I drunkenly smashed apart at a party last week. Why am I so stupid when I'm wasted?

I sit up on my black bed and I see my reflection from the mirror on the wall. I definitely was partying too much last night. Or drinking. What did I do last night? _More like, what didn't you do. _With a pounding headache, I get out of bed. I stare at the mirror for a minute. I look like death. Well, I usually do in all my black, but now with my eyeliner smudged across my face and my hair hanging droopily, I look like… Well, I look like shit.

Wincing from my headache, I turn and head to the kitchen as I pull out a cigarette. I try to block out Gale and Ivory's – ahem – _noise_ as I pass their room. Dear God. I have to hear this nearly every day. Do they even talk? Or just have sex? I swear. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't use condoms in Panem.

I take a drag of milky smoke as I think about the secret I've been keeping from Ivory.

Volt.

He was supposed to come over today. As a surprise for Ivory, I called him. I was supposed to tell him where she was a while ago, but he just slipped my mind. I was too preoccupied with my daydreams about Gale. It really eats away at me how he doesn't seem to care about me.

But I love Volt.

Maybe that's bad for me to say, since I've been obsessed with Gale for so long. I shake my head trying to get rid of my thoughts of Gale. Does this count as cheating? Maybe. But Volt always knew I was like that. He never cared. I know that once I see him again, that he'll be all I want.

Ivory never had a problem with Volt and me. Volt and I were never officially together, and I kind of liked that. He gave me freedom to explore with other people. He never cared. I guess you could say we're part-time lovers. I smirk at my own thought.

I suck in the thick smoke of my cigarette, until it runs out. I suddenly start to stress about seeing Volt again. I pull out yet another cigarette, yet this one isn't meant to be my morning wakeup. This one is for stress.

Oh God. I didn't even realize how much I've missed Volt. It's been quite a while since I've seen him last. Since the Rebellion.

A pain fills my chest. _Gale still doesn't remember you. _I wince, this time not from my hangover. I think back to who Gale was just a few months ago. He seems so different now. He used to be more… more… I can't explain it. He's more serious now.

And now he's with Ivory. Not… Not that girl.

I don't want to think about her either. I've got more important things to think about. Like Volt.

I miss his bright face. He's almost opposite to me; maybe that's why we go together so wonderfully. He only wears white and other light colours. Me? I'll stick to black and red. Volt's gorgeous eyes always leave me feeling haunted. They're bright and yellow. He's more built than me, which I've always admired about him. Well, really, I've admired everything about him. He's a perfect creature. I always feel so minuscule in his presence.

Silence finally falls on the house, which I'm so grateful for, since I still have a killer headache.

_Those two need to learn how to keep it down._

I roll my eyes, trying to get the thought of those two having sex out of my mind. Too early for this.

I wonder absent-mindedly why the hell they decided to fuck in the morning. Did they win the lottery? I don't know. I'll make a point about that when they wander out here.

As for now, I want some food. I sink my teeth into the first thing I see: a white peach. It's sweet and juicy, and reminds me of something from my childhood.

_I was with my mother. I must have been 3 at the time. She would feed me fruit with a small golden spoon. She used to sing to me. But I also remember her leaving. When she came back, she was crying, and her face had a red blotch._

I didn't know what abuse was when I was a child, but I know now. I still want my damned revenge. And I will have it.

I finish the peach, and discard its core. I lean against the counter, dreaming about my mother – if she were still here. I wonder what she would think of me. She'd probably be disappointed in my habits: drinking, smoking, and God knows how many women I've been through (and boys for that matter). I know I'm a horrible person, but I can't help it. I've been screwed up ever since… Well, ever since my mover was killed. I don't think anyone would be the same after something like that.

I try to escape reality. And when I'm drunk, high, or with someone, I don't see reality. I'm in a fantasy world where everything is fine. My mother is still alive, and my father loves me. But I hate when it all comes crashing down. I wake up with a headache and a reminder that my life sucks, and that I keep making it worse.

Even in this utopia, life can be horrible.

I begin to smoke my 3rd cigarette when Ivory and Gale walk in together. Holy shit, they were going at it. I can tell from how messed up they look. Oh my God.

"Could you guys celebrate more quietly?" I ask, trying to keep my face neutral, although I want to scream at them for being so damn loud. "I have the worst headache right now, and I did _not_ want to hear you guys through the fucking walls again." I shake my head, trying to rid the thought. "Congrats." I say to Ivory, still unsure myself what I'm congratulating. "Shall we tell Volt?"

Her face draws blank, unaware of how I know to congratulate her. Lucky guess, but they don't have to know that.

"You – you've talked to him?" She asks, shocked, "And, wait. How did you know?"

"Know what?" I ask, and I actually have no idea, but apparently there is something going on. I suck in more milky smoke, then say "I have no idea, but whatever you guys had to fuck for must have been pretty good."

_Ha. Ha._

I can't help but smirk when I see Gale trying not to laugh. "So what is the big news?" I ask Ivory, "I want to know!"

Ivory smiles sheepishly. "I'm going to have a baby." She finally says.

I choke on the smoke I was dragging in. _Woah what? _"Excuse me?"

I look at them shocked. _This can't be real. _"Gale," I say staring at him, "What the fuck? Ever heard of condoms?"

_Seems like I was right with that thought earlier._

Gale laughs, "Yeah, we tried that too," _Oh I'm _sure _you did. _"Ravius, you're asking about my sex life. I'd just like to point that out. Usually you'd just tell me about yours."

_Well, at least my sex life is more eventful. And deals with more people._

I shake my head, sucking in more smoke. _Calm down, Ravi. Stay calm. _"So you two celebrate by fucking the living daylights out of each other. You know, my headphones are broken, and I can't block out your sound. Nasty."

Gale starts laughing, and his face turns red.

"Ravi," Ivory says seriously, "you talked to Volt? Is he here? I need to talk to him."

_To tell him you're pregnant. Ha._

"Who's Volt?" Gale asks. It still hurts every time that he doesn't remember something like this. I just stare at him. How can he not remember?

"That's Ivory's older brother. He's my best friend." I finally say. I feel an aching in my chest. It really kills me that Gale can't remember what was once so important to him.

"Anyways," I say, trying to brush that feeling off, "Volt's coming over today. He was in the Districts – can you believe that, Ivy? He was worried sick about you."

"And I wasn't?" Ivory scoffs, "Oh well, at least I'll get to see him again."

_I can't wait either._

"Yeah," I say, "And Gale, you can see him." _I'm so sorry you can't remember any of this. _"He's coming over anytime now. You guys look… horrid. Get cleaned up, okay? I don't want him thinking I've abused you two."

They head off to get ready, and I do the same.

Back in my room, I start to burn some Jasmine tea scented incense. I head to my shower, also all black. I clear my thoughts in the steam. And I realize what is happening.

Ivory is pregnant.

Gale is the father.

Gale doesn't think he knows Volt.

_Volt is coming back home._

I leave my shower in extreme confusion. How am I supposed to stay calm at a time like this?

I style my hair carefully, making it bigger and more intricate than usual. I want to look extra good for Volt. He hasn't seen me in ages. I have to look presentable. I just hope Ivory and Gale can do the same.

I'm so nervous that it becomes difficult for me to do my eyeliner. I decide to make it more intense than it usually is. I cover most of my lid in black, wing it out, with some lines coming down underneath. It looks incredible, especially for having a nervous shaking hand.

I finally leave my room, dressed in a pair of tight black leather pants, and a slashed up black tee. I look pretty damn good – I just hope Volt thinks so too.

I go back to the kitchen to see Gale and Ivory eating some peaches in a bowl. _Wow, Gale looks incredible in blue. _I put that thought away, and focus on Volt. Well, my memories of him. I glance at Gale, and he seems almost frightened. And here I thought he was getting used to my fashion.

"Volt will be here any minute," I say, lighting yet another cigarette. This is a lot of smoke – even for me. I carefully run a hand through my spiked hair, trying not to ruin it.

A knock on the door startles me, but I know exactly who it is. I run to it, and I see Ivory jump up to follow me. Anxiety grows as I reach for the door, and when I open it, I'm greeted by an angel.

"Volt!" I say, wanting to hug him right then and there, but I stop myself, saving it for later.

He looks impeccable. His white hair is also spiked up elaborately, and his yellow eyes pierce my mint ones. He looks at me, with a soft smile. He glances up behind me.

"Gale, oh my God." He says, looking at him. _Shit, shit, shit. He can't talk to Gale like this. No. Gale doesn't remember. He doesn't remember any of us. _I glare at Volt, hoping that it reminds him to stop.

"Do I – do I know you?" Gale asks, confused. But as we all watch him, we all see something in him click into place. _Does he remember? _

Gale just says hello. I guess he still can't remember.

Finally, Volt places his attention on me. I hug him close to me. I've missed his warm embrace. I've missed the way his body contours to fit mine perfectly in his arms. I always feel small and childlike in his arms, but I don't mind it at all.

"I've missed you." I say, holding him closer. Volt wraps his arms around me.

I smile into his chest, hiding my face.

"Why did you run off?" He asks Ivory.

"I was looking for you." She says. "Why'd you leave?"

"I thought you knew where I was. I was with Ravius."

I quickly glare at both of them. _Don't reveal anything about the Rebellion. _

"You guys can talk about that later." I finally say "As for now, I think Ivory has something to tell you."

With that, Gale freaks out. He grabs my arm and drags me away from Volt. I reluctantly follow him outside.

He asks to bum one of my cigarettes, which I give to him, lighting it.

"Thanks," he says. I watch him strangely. Usually he hates when I smoke. I knew he was just a nervous guy.

"What's bothering you?" I ask, although I know there could be a million answers to that.

"Her brother is going to kill me." Gale nervously takes a huge drag. I can't believe _that's _what he's worried about. Well, then again, he doesn't remember what a caring guy Volt is. I take out a cigarette for myself. _Get lung cancer, why don't I?_

"Why? Because she's pregnant?" I try not to laugh.

"Obviously. Shit." Gale sucks on the smoke. "He doesn't even know me. I didn't even know he existed! And oh, God. Now he's going to find out I'm – surprise! – a part of the damn family."

"Oh my God, Gale." I say, smirking. "He's much nicer than that. He'll be pissed, but in the end, you're helping bring life into the world. He'll think highly of that. I mean, once he gets over the whole 'you got his sister pregnant' thing."

"Ravius, you're so stupid, sometimes. I hope you're fucking right." _I know I'm right._

"I know Volt more than I know anyone. He's my other half, pretty much." I smile at my own words, realizing they're true. "I'll make sure he doesn't kill you, okay?"

Gale shrugs, and slowly turns back to the house.

Volt see us instantly, greeting Gale with a tight smile.

"Gale," he says, without any malice, "You could have just told me. I'm not upset at all. Well, I'm lying." _Aw, Volt. Of course. _ "I am a little pissed, but you know what? Ivory will be a great mom. And I can tell you're going to be a great dad."

"Most importantly," he continues, "I'm just happy that Ivory is okay. You've both taken good care of her."

"I know you." Gale says suddenly. "I don't know how, but I've – I've seen you before."

Volt catches my warning eye, that's saying _don't tell him_.

"Maybe we've seen each other around," he says, finally, "I was looking for Ivory, so I traveled the world." _That's perfect. _

Gale seems lost in thought, as he stares at Volt, so I take this as my chance to catch up.

I grab Volt's hand, and I lead him away from Ivory and Gale. Not too far – I want payback for everything I heard this morning. I don't think I can ever hear Ivory say Gale's name the same again.

I wrap my arms around his neck, and unlike Gale, Volt is totally into it. He wraps his large arms around my waist, pulling me in. I stare into his eyes.

"I've missed you so much." I whisper to him.

"I know," he whispers back, "I've missed you too. I'm so glad to be with you again."

I start to kiss him, and he kisses me back softly. _Oh, God, I've missed this. _Our kisses grow deeper, and we move closer together. Until Gale's voice interrupts us.

"Volt, I know you from the Rebellion," He uneasily says.

"So, you remember me, heh?" Volt says.

_Oh my God. _I feel pain again. He still doesn't remember me.

"H-How is that even possible?" Gale asks Volt. I walk away, and head to the cabinet with all the liquor. I don't think I can handle this sober, and I've smoke more than enough.

"I think I'll let you figure that out on your own." Volt says to my relief. I don't want to overwhelm Gale with information. I'm so scared of that.

Gale looks confused, but nods, acceptingly. I think he'll figure it out on his own, soon enough.

Volt grabs my hand and takes me back to my room.

"Smells like smoke and tea in here." Volt says, closing the door.

"Well, I'm a chain smoker and I have incense." I say shrugging.

"Ah." Volt says smiling at me.

"But you knew that," I say laughing. I can't help but laugh, I'm so happy he's back.

"Always have." He says, with a smirk. "So tell me, who have you done since I've left?"

_Woah._

"Uncalled for." I say, slightly offended. "I'm not answering."

In reality, my sex life has been fairly slow since Volt left, mostly because I had to be completely wasted for anything to happen without me feeling guilty.

"Hey," Volt said, defensively raising his arms, "I just want to know if there's anything I should be aware of."

I roll my eyes. "We're not going to fuck." I say sternly. "You've already killed my mood."

"Sorry, Ravi." Volt says, "I just want to know."

"You're not _going _to know, now." I said, crossing my arms. "Sometimes, I forget what an asshole you can be."

"You know you love it though." Volt said with a million watt smile.

"Dammit! Don't do that, Volt!" I say, laughing. "You know I can't stay mad at you."

Volt lies down next to me, smiling. He looks so out of place in all my black.

"Can you believe that Gale remembers you?" I ask. I'm still shocked.

"I know. It's crazy. Did he remember you?" _I forgot that Volt has missed out on everything recently. _

I sigh, upset. "No. He can remember you, but not me. I don't get it."

"Don't be too upset. He'll remember you. It'll take some time, but he will."

"God, I hope." I say glumly. "I just – I don't know. It kills me. It kills me to see that he doesn't remember me. He doesn't know who I am."

"I can't believe that Ivory's pregnant." Volt says, staring at the ceiling. "Well, I mean… I can believe it. You know Ivory. But I can't believe it's real."

"Well, we have at least 9 months to get used to that."

"When did she tell you?" he asks seriously.

"Just today. I nearly had a heart attack."

"No shit." Volt says. He pulls out a cigarette and begins to smoke on it, like I did when I found out.

"Stressed?" I ask, knowing the answer.

"That's an understatement." He says, puffing out smoke rings.

"I'm really sorry." I say to him. "Gale's so stupid. I mean seriously." I leave out what I overheard this morning. I doubt he'd want to hear about how loud his little sister is in bed. Although I'm sure I've told him before.

I look down at my legs. They're thin and look like sticks.

"Oh!" I say, remembering suddenly, "I didn't show you my new tattoo!"

I quickly stand up and pull down the sides of pants, revealing my thin hips. Lettering now covers them.

"Ooh," Volt gasps, "What does it say?"

"It's my mother's name. In about 50 different languages." I look down at the lettering, proud of the black ink.

"Impressive." Volt says smiling.

"I needed to do something in memory of her." I say, looking down at my ink covered skin. "It was so painful to get done, though."

"Well," Volt says, sitting up, "I think it was worth it. It looks sexy as hell on you."

I never thought a memorial tattoo could be sexy, but alright, I'll go with it.

"Thanks." I say, pulling my pants back up to cover my tattoos. "I also doubt I've told you that I'm going to be President soon."

Volt just raises his eyebrows.

"Does your father have cancer or something?"

"Not exactly." I answer, smiling devilishly, "But he will be gone soon. You in?"

"Oh my God, Ravius." Volt says in shock, leaning back against the wall. "Do you know that if you fuck this up, you'll be killed?"

"Which is why I already have Gale helping. Besides, you and I both now that my _father _is a bastard and can't rule anymore. He's a cold-blooded murderer. _He killed my mother._ I'm never going to forgive him." I realize that I'm on the verge of crying, so I sit back down on my bed. I blink back tears. "He – he deserves to die. He is a demon. He's the worst thing in the world."

I can't stop the tears from falling now, as they pour down my cheeks. Volt instantly wraps his arms around me, cooing "It's gonna be okay."

I sob into his chest, and I'm surprised as to how fast my mood has changed from happy to depressed. I always get this way when I think about my mother. I cry into Volt for what seems like hours. Until I finally calm down enough to just hold him loosely. We both lie down, holding each other.

Volt smiles at me, "Oh, Ravius, you silly. Look at the mess you've made. You've ruined your eyeliner."

I laugh – that kind of a laugh when you're desperate for something to make you feel better.

"You know she loved you," Volt says, soothingly. "You know that. You know that I love you, and Ivory loves you, and I'm sure Gale cares about you."

I nod, numbly. I can see out of my window that it's dark now.

"Everything is going to be okay." He repeats, softly.

I want to believe him, but there's just so much going on right now, that I don't know what's going to happen. Ivory is pregnant, Gale's getting his memory back – slowly, and I'm here planning to kill off my own father.

I eventually fall asleep in Volt's arms, as he keeps repeating that everything will be okay.


	18. Chapter 18

_Note: I really love writing as Ravius. I'm pretty similar to him. Not that much, but we're… close. His chapter was to give you some insight and explanation. See, when THGgoddess4ever and I decided to share characters, I already had a plot in mind. We didn't try to mix them. Then we both were like, _Fuck it, let's make them go together, _it only made sense for her story to happen first. So let me fill you in on some important info if you didn't read the previous story. Volt and Ravius both knew Gale. They all helped during the Rebellion. Katniss and Peeta had a baby (leave it to THGgoddess4ever to make a huge plot twist) and as mentioned in her epilogue, they are keeping the baby a secret from Gale until all his memories back. The memories being what happened in the Rebellion. Oh, and THG's story was a Clato story, so those two might pop up in here now. They apparently didn't die in the Hunger Games. Ha. Well, okay. I'm sure there's more I haven't mentioned, but if it pops up, I'll make sure to tell you. I'd also like to thank you all for putting up with my random hiatuses. I suck. I just can't ever seem to stick to writing. I think I'll do more Ravius chapters soon. He's so perf. If he was real, oh my God… Anyways, Song: Baptism – Crystal Castles_

**We're back in Gale's POV. This is starting where Chapter 16 left off.**

"H-How is that even possible?" I ask Volt. _I remember him. But that's impossible. I've known everything from the past few months. Haven't I?_

"I think I'll let you figure that out on your own." He answers, with a polite smile. He takes Ravius' hand and heads down to his room, leaving me alone in confusion.

Ivory holds onto my hand, trying to comfort me.

"What's he talking about, Ivory?" I ask. If I knew him and didn't remember, I might have also know Ivory before, right? I don't know.

I know that just before I met Ivory, I was using morphling everyday. I couldn't live without it. I know that it can mess with your mind. Maybe that's what happened. Maybe the drugs got to me and I just forgot everything.

_But then how would I be able to remember it now?_

Ivory squeezed my hand. She looks down sadly. "I- I can't tell you. I wasn't there, Gale."

_So something did happen._

"Who can tell me?" I ask, and it comes out sounding more angry then I meant it to. "Ivory, I don't know what's going on, but apparently, I'm missing facts from my life. I – I don't know how I can handle this."

I turn and walk away from her, shaking my head.

_Maybe… Maybe if the drugs took my memories away they'll bring them back – or maybe they can help me forget they ever happened._

I clench my fists, and wonder why the hell Ravius and Volt left. Where's a damn drug addict when I need one? I would like at least a cigarette. I don't even know where to buy those here.

"Gale," Ivory says, as if hearing my thoughts, "Don't go back to the drugs."

I shake my head to not give a definite answer.

I know how easily I became addicted. Maybe I need it again.

Maybe I'm…

Relapsing.

The only reason I stopped is because I had Ivory. I lost any way of getting morphling. I don't even know if they sell it here. Niseno is different and everything.

Ivory follows me, and takes my hand again. I shake her off and I leave the house.

_You're doing it again, Gale. You're escaping._

So what? I need it now. How the hell am I supposed to act? I just found out that I've completely forgotten about God knows how long of my life.

Once far enough from the house, I easily find a smoke shop. I buy a lighter, a pack of cigarettes and a pack of something called "Kusuri". I hand the cashier some of the Niseno currency, and he hands me back a bunch of silver coins.

I leave and head back to the park that Ivory took me to, back when I first got here. I sit down by the deep lake. Being brave, I take out the Kusuri and light it. Its thick and heavy smoke releases all my thoughts.

I'm greeted with a pleasure greater than morphling.

Kusuri.

I lie down on the ground, smoking, and I eventually fall asleep.

_Note: Short chapter, sorry! I was running out of time. Heh._


	19. Chapter 19

_Note: Osas1234, I should clarify (since Gale currently can't – since he's tripping out right now) no, he's not an addict. And yeah, Ravius is the only one who is truly an addict. I should have clarified last chapter (my fault for rushing), Gale is kind of on the edge of insanity (I mean, the past few months have been – missing. A lie.), and in his mind, it's easier to just let go (i.e. use) than it is to face reality head on. I mean, insanity is rather scary, so I'd opt out too – granted I personally have an addictive mind. Well, anyways. I didn't PM this, because it's something I should have clarified but I forgot to. So. Sorry! Anyways, I'm thinking of writing another Ravius chapter. I really love Ravius so much. Perfect character. (My otp is Ravius/Volt a.k.a. Ravolt – heh, perfect. Okay, I'll shut up now.) Song: Marcy Playground – Sex and Candy_

I wake up surrounded by darkness, and someone hovering over me. I focus my eyes a bit, and see mint green eyes staring at me. Dark hair cover's the person's face. Who is he? What's he doing here? What am _I _doing here? Where am I?

"Volt," He says loudly, "He's alive." He waves his hand in front of my eyes, and I just turn to my side.

I hear footsteps coming closer, and another deeper voice speaks. "What do you think he did?"

"Not as many things as I would – can you blame him, though?"

I close my eyes, ready to sleep.

I get kicked in the back instead. Not an actual attack, more like the way you tap game to see if it's still got a heart beat in it.

"What?" I ask. My voice is hoarse and sounds completely horrible.

"So," the deeper voice says, coming closer, "He speaks." I look up at him. He looks… is he glowing?

"You just _had _to get the Kusuri, didn't you?" The man with a lighter voice says, picking up the pack from the ground. "I'll just keep this for later." He says under his breath.

"Mmm." I groan, rolling onto my stomach. I just want to sleep.

"Get up," the glowing one says, offering me a hand.

I don't want to get up, I want to sleep!

"Ravi," he says to the other man, "Grab his legs, he's not moving."

I don't mind as the strangers lift me up from the ground – makes me feel like I'm flying. Nice.

Bright lights blind me. It takes me a while to get my sight into focus. My arms are covered in needles. I look down and I see I'm dressed in a pale blue gown.

_Why am I in a hospital?_

"Hey, Gale." A voice greets me. I turn to where the voice came from. A slender figure in all black meets my distant gaze. He smirks at me.

"Ravius." I struggle to say. I feel so drained. "What am I doing here?"

He shrugs and reaches to get a cigarette. He puts it away once he realizes he's in a hospital. I can see that he's got stitches around his eye, and a bruise forming just under it.

"Sometimes you're such an idiot, Gale." He says, leaning against a wall. I don't deny it, since whatever I did got me in here.

"So, what did I do?" I ask. I have no idea what I did. I guess my memory really is terrible.

"God, you _really _can't remember?" Ravius asks, irritated. "Well, Volt and I found you in the park. At that point you'd been gone for almost a day. Ivory was freaking out, so Volt and I _had _to go get you. Stupid idea, really, because once we started to carry you away to take you home, you went into complete hunter-mode, and tried to kill me!" He dramatically points to his eye. _Shit, I did that? _"Oh, there's more damages all over me. Volt had to pull you off me and hold you down." He rolls his eyes. "Volt's with Ivory now. I had to keep watch on you, just in case you went psycho again."

"Holy shit, Ravius." I say, concerned, "I'm so sorry. I don't – I don't even remember this."

"Yeah, I know." He says, holding up the pack of Kusuri. "You just _had _to try this didn't you."

"I just… I wanted to forget everything."

"Really?" Ravius askes arrogantly, "You want to forget Ivory?"

"No! I just… I want to forget… that I remember."

"Well, Kusuri is _not _going to help you with that." Ravius walks up to my bed. "You have to be in here for a few more hours. The drug entered your system wrong which is why you're all screwed up now. Which is also why you beat the shit out of me."

"Gale," he says after a silence. He traces the tubes that are connected to my arms. "I know your past. All you have to do is ask."

He smiles kindly at me. "As for now, you need to get hydrated," he pointed to a clear tube filled with water, "and the medicine will get you feeling better soon." He smiles again, and keeps hold of my stare.

"Ravius." I say, suddenly curious. "Did I… Did I know you – before?"

He sighs and turns on his heel, and paces around my bed.

"Yeah, I knew you." He says with a wistful smile. He stays quiet, and I don't really know what to say.

"I'm sorry," I finally say, looking down at my hand, which has an IV cord in it. "I'm sorry I can't remember you."


	20. Chapter 20

**I AM SO SORRY FOR NEVER UPDATING.** _Note: Another Ravius chapter? Why not! I really am overdoing it with him, aren't I? I mean, you guys are probably sick of him. But I mean, in comparison to Ivory and Gale, Ravius is so much more interesting! I have his entire life planned out, which you will all eventually learn about his past. His past is actually crucial to the plot. That's as much as I'll give away on that topic. __**Oh, also does anyone listen to the songs I give you? Like, anyone?**__ Even if no one does, I'm still going to post what songs help the scene/mood/my writing. It helps me when I go back and I wonder what I was thinking. Heh. Plus, I've been showing you guys Crystal Castles for quite a while. I'm not even sorry. I have the most massive crush on Alice Glass ever. I think of Ravius as similar to who Alice appears to be. A bit of a stretch, but you know... Just my thoughts. Song: Crystal Castles - Not in Love (feat. Robert Smith)_

**This chapter starts where Chapter 19 left off, from Ravius' POV.**

"I'm sorry I can't remember you." Those are possibly the most horrible words to hear. I just never existed to Gale.

Never.

Until I met him again with Ivory, I never existed to him.

God.

But he can remember Volt.

I feel an urge to cry, but I won't allow myself to.

"It's fine." I say calmly. I force myself to smile. "How could you help it?"

"How did I get this way?" He asks after a silence. "I mean... Why can't I remember you? Did I know Ivory before, too?"

I can't be the one to tell him. He either has to find out for himself, or... She'll... She'll have to tell him herself.

"I can't tell you." I say calmly. "But, no. You didn't know Ivory. Every bit of that is real."

Real.

Does that mean I'm not real?

"Just forget it." I say, nervously brushing my hair away from my eyes, trying to stay away from my new stitches. They still sting.

"Are you still up for my offer?" I ask. "You can't say it in here, though. _They'll_ hear you." I give him a knowing look.

Gale seems to take a minute to realize what I'm asking.

"Yes." he says after he remembers. "I'll help you." _I'll help you kill your father._

"Get better. Soon." I say sternly, as if he can control his health. "I need you safe and sane for that."

Well, insanity works, but I guess that's my job.

He nods, agreeing.

"Where's Volt?" Gale asks confused. "Or Ivory?"

"They went home a while ago. I decided to keep watch." I step back and lean against the sterile white wall, kicking my muddy shoes up on it. "It's been a while. Unlike me, they can't stay awake forever."

"Ah." He stares at his hands which have IV cords stuck in them. "You think you can get me out of here?" He looks up at me desperately. "I don't want to be in a hospital. I want to see Ivory."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I'll see what I can do."

I leave his all white hospital room, and I try to find a nurse, although it's difficult since most of the staff is gone at this hour. I finally bump into a nurse. She's wearing that ridiculous uniform that they all wear- frilly white lace all over with an insanely tight bustier. I try not to laugh at that get up. But she's actually very pretty. The girl looks to be a year or so younger than me with braided lilac hair and huge blue eyes that stare at me.

"Hey, Miss - uh - nurse?" Wow, I sound stupid. "Is it possible that I can take my friend who's staying here home?"

She looks flustered. "You're the president's son!" _Ah, shit._ "Yeah, sure. I'll go with so he can get the care he needs." _Well, that's good. Got some eye candy out of this. Score one for Ravi. "_What room is he in? We'll return him home immediately."

I tell her where Gale is, and she rushes off to go find him. I follow behind watching her run to his room. She's pretty cute.

She returns with Gale in a wheelchair and an IV bag trailing behind her.

"We're not that far from where we live." I tell her, "should we just walk?"

She nods. "That works. Hey, is it possible that I can pick up my clothes and change later? I don't think I could stand to be in this much white for longer."

I laugh, "Just like me. Yeah, sure. I'll wait with Gale."

She runs off.

"Well, Ravi." Gale says, this time _he's_ the one smirking.

"She's cute." I say, smiling. "Whatever, Gale."

"What will Volt think?" he asks. I guess Volt and I are that obvious. Oops.

I stick my tongue out at him "We'll share." I say, completely lying.

Gale picks up on my joke and laughs.

The lilac girl returns with a huge purple bag draped over her shoulder.

"Let's go." she says, pushing Gale. "I get pay for this, so keep me as long as you need." She flashes her eyes at me. _What is she hinting at?_

I lead us to the house, and Gale is immediately hooked up to the IVs again, and laid down on the couch in the living room.

The cute lilac nurse asks me where she can change, so I lead her to one of our empty rooms. She thanks me and I leave, closing the door behind me.

I return to the living room, and I see Ivory cooing over Gale. He has his arms wrapped around her.

"Should I tell the cutie nurse to leave you guys alone?" I ask, to which they both nod.

I nod in return. "Hey, where's Volt?" I ask just before I leave them alone.

"He's just gone to his apartment for the week." Ivory says. "He thought you needed some time away."

"Works for me." I say, leaving them.

I head back to my blacked out room, and I walk directly into the lilac nurse.

She's changed her outfit, and looks entirely different. Her short hair is in waves until her chin. Her outfit is now an over-sized leather jacket, a grey T-shirt and a pair of black leggings.

"Oh, sorry." she says after I bumped into her.

"No, that was my fault. Sorry." I say. "Hey, wanna go on a walk or something? Gale and his girl are kinda wanting privacy or something."

Vague.

Nice.

"Sure." she says, and she follows me as I lead her outside.

"Want a cigarette?" I ask once outside. Usually girls say no, but she eagerly takes one.

She sucks on the smoke and watches me.

"Sorry, I didn't introduce myself." She says, awkwardly combing her hand through her purple hair. "I'm Ivana."

"Ravius." I say to her. "But you already knew that."

"Well. You are kinda well-known in the party scene. Or at least you used to be. You disappeared for a while."

"How don't I know you, then?" I used to go to clubs all the time - well, before things with Gale became normal.

"I don't know." she says, breathing out thick smoke. "But I know I'm one of the few girls who doesn't go to clubs to get fucked."

Well, apparently. Most girls I know from clubs are all whores who just want me to sleep with them. I'm not exaggerating.

"Then why do you go?" I've never met a girl who didn't sleep around and was a clubber.

"I have my reasons."

"Well, fine. But then, why are you a nurse?"

"I have my reasons."

"You're a mystery." I say, and she smirks. "It's refreshing for once."

"I'm about to be even more of a mystery." she says. And with that, she slid her hand into my pocket taking my cigarettes and she strolled away.


	21. Chapter 21

_Note: This shouldn't really count as a chapter, but __**it is vital to the plot**__. No POV. No song this time, either._

_"Hello?_

_"No, I can't really talk._

_"I'm not going to speak up, either, idiot. _

_"Yeah, my _job_. I'm making a house call, I can't talk now._

_"Okay, sure, whatever. Look, pretty-boy won't even matter soon. I'll take care of that problem._

_"Why? Because he's in our way that's wh- Shit. I think he woke up._

_"Later."_

Click.


	22. Chapter 22

_Note: I'm not saying the time-frame of the last chapter (if it's even a chapter?). You'll have to figure that out for yourself. And who was saying it, blah blah blah, you know the deal. And I've noticed that in many of my notes I say "Make sure to read, vital to plot" and shit like that, and honestly, it's because I think that people won't read my chapters because it's a character they don't like. Which also makes me wonder, is there a character you absolutely hate? Anyways, I have to say something. Ravius is my most inspired character. By that, I mean that he is the one I put the most thought into. He's similar to me, but at the same time, nothing like me. And to me, that's interesting. And interesting people are much more fun to create. Ivana is slowly becoming another one of my most inspired characters. If you don't like her... Well, suck it up. She's here to stay. Song: Empathy - Crystal Castles_

_This chapter is a continuation from chapter 20, in Ravius' POV._

"Don't even think that you're going to take my cigarette free of charge." I say, catching up to Ivana.

"Ah," she says, rolling her eyes, "how foolish of me. Want to just tag along, as a payment?"

"Where are we going?"

"I don't know."

I shrug, and silently walk by her side. It's nice outside, since it's completely dark, but the bright lights of the city still block the sky.

Ivana just seems to wander aimlessly, but I follow her anyways.

A sketchy place in the Capitol seems impossible, yet that's where we go. She leads me through empty streets that seem far too sketchy for anyone without a weapon on hand, but she doesn't seem to notice or care. As much as I've explored the city all my life, Ivana manages to lead me to places I've never seen or heard of. It's sort of strange seeing something new. Seeing the cracks in the cement, or the men returning home from their jobs. I've never seen anything like this anywhere in the Capitol before. I've never seen this much poverty within my own city. The deeper within this barren part of the city we go into, the emptier and more desolate it becomes.

"Where are we?" I finally ask Ivana, as she stops in front of an eroding brick building.

"Home." she says plainly, as she pulls a small rusted key from her leather jacket.

I'm shocked.

She opens the tall metal door, and heads inside. I stay out, feeling glued to the ground.

"Are you coming?" She says, giving me a strange look.

"Uh, yeah," I say, forcing myself to enter this decayed structure. "You live here?" I finally say, feeling like a complete asshole.

"Well, I could live elsewhere, but I stay for the scenery."

_What the hell does that mean?_

"I know it's not like your palace," she says, "but to me it's fine. I don't really care where I sleep at night. It's just so I don't get rained on, really."

She heads up a flight of stairs, so I follow her. The steps are wooden, and I feel like they'll break through at any moment. At the top of the stairs, I see the living conditions that Ivana is in. And I'm horrified.

The walls are all a disgusting decayed shade of yellow, and the tiles on the floor are either cracked in half or missing. There are pipes exposed throughout, and a chill fills the room. There is cheap or used furniture filling the apartment. A large sheepskin carpet seems to be the only thing worth anything in this place, and its located in the corner, with a few pillows on top of it. _That's her bed?_

"How old is this place?" I ask, not trying to sound offensive, yet I still sound like an asshole.

"It's probably been here for a couple hundred years." _Holy shit. That long?_

Shit.

"I'll get some tea." Ivana says, with a sigh as she wanders into a room divided by a door that looks like it can only stand for a moment longer. She can tell I'm disappointed. Ah, shit, I'm such a spoiled brat. But I can't really help it. I've only ever seen the best of the best. I thought I was in the Capitol - not the districts!

I look around the room, hopelessly. It's the most damaged creation in existence. Oh my God, why does she live here?

At that moment, Ivana returns holding two grey chipped mugs. I can smell the black tea as soon as she hands one to me.

"It's better than coffee." She says monotone.

I nod, agreeing, as I drink the steaming liquid, full of flavor.

Ivory stares at me with her intense blue eyes.

"What's your story?" I ask her, which seems to catch her off guard.

"What do you mean?"

"You're so different... There has to be a reason."

"You're different too." she shoots back.

"Yeah, I guess so." I run my hand through my hair, "So never mind that."

She sighs, and drinks her tea. "I'm not telling you, Capitol Boy."

_What the hell?_

"And you're not a Capitol girl?"

"No," she says sharply, "I'm not. I'm nothing like you."

"What the hell does that mean, Ivana?"

"I'm not a goddamn follower! I'm done with this shit the Capitol has been giving me."

"I don't understand. What did they do to you?"

_What did they do to hurt you?_

She looks at me and laughs bitterly.

"That's cute." She looks at me tightly, "You think I'm one of those people who will just open up to anyone they meet. Well, surprise. You're wrong. You'll never know my story."

"Fine by me."

She looks almost shocked with my calm reaction, but the look of shock disappears to quickly I'm not sure if I imagined it. She drinks her tea, avoiding my eye contact.

I'm dying to know all about her, but I don't allow myself to prod.

"You're insane you know." Ivana says eerily calmly. She leans against a wall, kicking one foot against it.

"What do you mean?" I ask confused.

"Nothing." she smiles, "Something. You tell me, Capitol boy."

Is she... _flirting_?

"I think we're all screwed up." she says, not waiting for me to answer. "That's my theory, at least. Something happened to us, and we are all screwed up for it. You want to know what screwed me up.

Well, I wouldn't say screwed up...

Her sultry eyes are drawing me in, but I keep my distance.

She steps closer to me, until she is just inches away from me. She licks her lips, and finally kisses me.

Wow.

She pulls away from me, and gives me a strange look.

"Now, leave." she says sharply, "You're making things difficult."

"What?"

"_Now_."

I turn away without asking.

What just happened?

_Note: This took me forever to write. So I apologize for there being such a long time between chapters. Thank God this chapter is over. _


	23. Chapter 23

_Note: I've been recently putting thought into the culture of Niseno. I haven't really told you much. In case you couldn't tell, it's different from Panem. Shocker, right? Alrighty, then, onto the story! Song: Pale Flesh - Crystal Castles_

_POV: GALE_

Ivory's soft fingers trail along my the needles in my arms. It's calming, but I still can't wait to get these damn needles out.

Why the hell did I even have to try Kusuri?

God, I'm stupid.

Ivory looks like she's ready to fall asleep, which is understandable. She told me that she couldn't sleep ever since she realized I was gone, and she's been awake since I was found. Poor girl.

She hasn't mentioned anything about our future child, so I decide not to bring it up with her.

But...

"Do you think," I say, breaking our serene silence, "it's a boy or a girl?"

Ivory immediately sits up straight. She plays with her long hair. "Probably a boy." she says dreamily, "or at least I hope so."

"Why not a girl?" I say, softly laughing.

Ivory smiles back at me, "He'd be just like you."

"How's that?"

"He would be strong." she says, staring into space, "And brave."

"Aside from the fact that I'm neither of those, alright then. A boy it is."

Ivory gasps and clasps her hands together. "What should we name him?"

_Ah, yes. The naming game._

"I'm terrible at names." I say without thinking.

She sighs, slightly disappointed. "We still have a while to choose names. I'm not even showing, yet."

I sit up slowly, realizing something. "Should we get married?"

_Ah, shit. Shit shit shit. Did I just ask her to marry me... like that? I don't even have a ring! Oh, god. Why am I so stupid?_

Ivory stares at me with her hopeful minty eyes.

"Should we?" she repeats me, "It sounds like you're not sold on that."

"I just... I'm sorry, Ivory. I've never been in this situation before." I sound like a dick. "I love you, you know that." She smiles at the reassurance. "I don't know what to do, that's all."

"I love you, too." she says, leaning closer to my face. Her plush lips kiss mine. It's blissful. I attempt to wrap my arms around her, but with the IV, they only go so far.

She watches me for a minute, biting her bottom lip.

"You'll be a good father." she says.

_If only I wasn't so scared about being one..._

I haven't even told my family about this. Should I? How will they react? My mother... She doesn't even know who Ivory is.

My mom would probably tell Katniss, though.

_Katniss_... Who would've thought I'd be a parent first?

I remember that time I wanted Katniss and I to have children together. What a joke.

But she's in the past.

Ivory is here to stay.

I have a family of my own now. My past can't rule me.

Ivory is so young. And I'm only 20. How the hell can we become parents?

"Did you even want to be a mother?" I ask Ivory.

She looks at me shocked. "It's the best thing I could ever be." She answers simply.

"Answer me honestly: did I... Did I take away your youth by getting you pregnant?"

"Don't say it like that, Gale." she looks almost offended. "I've always wanted to be a mother. This is the best thing that could ever happen."

_Even with her reassurance, I can't help but feel like I've ruined her life._

_I'm sorry._

_NOTE: shit. this is another short chapter. ah well. now i can write more ravi without a guilty conscious of leaving gale out. i'm terrible. adios!_


	24. Chapter 24

_Note: I'm so terrible at uploading. But my New Year's resolution definitely includes uploading hella more. I am so sorry as to how slow I've been at writing. Song: Moonlight Sonata 1st Movement - Beethoven_

"How can you even be so calm about this?" I ask Ivory, looking deeply into her eyes. Her expression hardens for a moment.

"Gale, I don't know why you're so stressed." She pouts her lips. "We live in the Capitol. Everything will be fine. We have the best doctors, the best care for our child. I'm not worried at all."

I don't care about the goddamn Capitol! I can't be a father! But. I need to just face the facts. I will be one. And I will love this child more than anything in the world.

I sigh.

"I suppose you're right. There's nothing to be worried about." I echo Ivory.

She smiles and kisses me softly.

"Hey," I say slowly, "Do you think it's at all possible that I can call my mother?"

Ivory's eyes widen, so I continue.

"I think she'd like to know that she's becoming a grandmother. And my siblings probably miss me, too."

Ivory nods. "Of course."

The front door slams open, and Ravius walks in. He looks extremely confused.

"How was your time with the nurse?" I ask, smirking. Ivory turns around to look at him.

"Strange." he says, standing still for a moment. "Is Volt still at his apartment?"

Ivory nods. "He hasn't come back yet."

"Alright, thanks. I'm gonna just get some things and head over there." He shakes his head, and mutters "What a fucking mess" before walking off.

Poor kid. He looks shaken up. I wonder what happened.

_Mini-note: Hopefully I can finish my next chapter tonight, so I can upload that one as well. As for now, adios! I love you all_.


	25. Chapter 25

Note: I didn't realize how short of a chapter that last one was until I uploaded it. I'm sorry, guys. Sometimes, I get my ideas across too easily. Also, I just realized how extensive my hidden messages are. It's kind of ridiculous. (Enter conspiracy theories here) Ahaha~~ OH ALSO Ravi is extra sassy today. Just remember that this was _originally_ under the comedy section. It's okay to laugh. Not everything is serious. (Things have been too intense for my taste) Song: Euphoria - Blackbird Blackbird

**POV: RAVIUS**

_Ivana is one strange girl_, I think to myself as I slowly walk away from my house, heading over to Volt's apartment.

I can't even understand anything she means. She said she stays in her broken place for the scenery? All the "scenery" is just eroding buildings and hungry people. And what did she mean she's not a Capitol girl? I guess she just means she's different. Which is an understatement. She's off the damn wall.

I brush my hand through my hair to break my chain of thought. I accidentally hit my new stitches. I wince at the pain. _This is going to take forever to heal. _

I can't get Ivana out of my head, though. Her lilac hair is the only thing about her that is even remotely "Capitol". The rest... Well, she looks like she's from one of the Districts.

I walk silently down the dark streets. It's finally late enough that the shops' lights are shut down. The only things that light the nearly empty roads are the overhead streetlamps which are lit up in a faint blue. I know my way to Volt's so well, I don't even pay attention to the street names.

And soon enough I'm there.

I walk up the stairs to the entrance to his complex. I press the call box, knowing that even though it's late, he'll answer.

The screen lights up, revealing a video feed of his face.

"Hey, Ravi." He says, once he sees it's me. The feed ends and the door unlocks.

I enter the building. Unlike Ivana's decaying apartment, Volt's building is kept very clean and sleek. The walls are white and artwork lines them. I climb up the stairs to Volt's third floor apartment. He's waiting at the door, holding a glass of white wine. His white hair is still spiked up, and he looks so perfect.

"Hey, babe." He says with a sloppy smile.

"Hey," I say, walking into his open arms. He holds me closely. He begins so slowly kiss my neck. I can feel his deep breaths sending chills down my spine. He pulls me into his green and white apartment. I wrap my arms around his waist and our lips meet.

"I've missed you so much," Volt whispers in my ear. "I've spent too much time away."

He pulls back and looks deeply into my eyes. I stare back into his bright yellow eyes. I have missed this too, I want to say, but I only answer by kissing him.

I've missed his arms around me. I've missed that feeling he gives me.

No one else has ever done that.

No one else has ever cared for me the same way.

"You taste like tea." Volt says, suddenly.

"I had some earlier." I say, moving to his couch, which I then lay on. "And I met a weird nurse, too."

Volt lays down next to me on his wide, plush couch.

"She was pretty," I continue, "But also kind of crazy."

"Sounds like your type." Volt says with a half smile. It just reminds me how open we've allowed our relationship to be.

"Maybe," I say. Ivana is cute, but she acted so bizarre. She kissed me then told me to leave. I don't understand her. But she was damn sexy. "But I don't want to lose you to her."

Volt smiles crookedly. "You won't ever lose me."_ Cute._ "So tell me about her."

I sigh, feeling guilty about telling Volt about someone else. But I can just as vividly remember times he's done the same. _Fucking open relationship._

"Well, she's Gale's nurse." I pause for affect, while I hear Volt laughing. "I know, I know."

"Always good to know that she can take care of you." He says, after drinking more of his wine.

"Shouldn't that be the other way around?" I say, suddenly realizing that in our relationship, Volt takes care of me. I'm always running off doing stupid things, and Volt always saves the day - so to speak. "Nevermind," I say, "She would take care of me."

Volt laughs again, and I smile along.

And I just kiss him.

I don't want to think about anything. I don't want to think about Ivana. I just want Volt.

He instantly picks up on this, and soon our kissing grows deeper and deeper. His wine glass falls to the ground as he runs his hands through my hair. Rather quickly, we're pulling at each other's clothing.

"Wait." Volt stops. We're both half naked, really getting into it, and _now_ he decides to stop? _Fucking buzz kill._

"What's wrong?" I ask, as I rub my hands across his muscular chest. He might not be in the mood for it, but I mean seriously, who just leads you on like that?

"I..." He sighs. "I'm sorry. I keep thinking about Ivory."

_Definitely a mood killer._

"Do we really have to talk about her?" I almost beg. I really don't want to talk about his pregnant little sister. Or anyone, really.

"I just..." Volt lays down next to me again, retreating from looking over me. "I don't get why she's so god damned stupid." He starts to look almost angry. Almost. "She's a fucking whore." Alright, now he's angry. And right. I should know. "She really couldn't keep her fucking legs together." I keep my face stone cold, although I just want to laugh. But Volt has every right to be pissed.

Maybe it's that whole older brother thing; always trying to protect his sister.

But I guess he couldn't protect her from this.

_A condom would have done that job._

"Are you mad at Gale?" I ask, knowing the answer.

"Fuck, yeah, I am." His face looks genuinely angry. I've rarely seen him like this. "He fucked my little sister! Ugh, I don't even want to think about that."

I remain silent, not knowing how to answer.

Instead, I stand up, and head over to his open kitchen, just a few steps away. Like the rest of his place, it's white and bright green. I instantly see the bottle of white wine that Volt had a glass of earlier. I take out two slim crystal glasses from the reflective white cabinet, and poor out two glasses. One for Volt and one for me.

"Cheers," I say, as I walk back to Volt, holding a glass out for him.

"Here's to a messed up family." He says, taking his glass.

"Amen to that," I say as we clink our glasses together. We each drink some of the wine. It's sweet, but not overwhelming. Volt has excellent taste.

And just as abruptly as Volt halted our affection, we begin once again.

_Ah, the magic of wine._

For the rest of the night, we each escape our thoughts - of Ivory and of Ivana. For the night, we are free.


	26. Chapter 26

Note: I've been thinking about how many things I'm inspired by. It's ridiculous. Also, I didn't go too graphic last chapter SINCE IDK ANY OF YOUR OPINIONS ON RAVI x VOLT. Hell, this is rated M, I can do what I want. Just kidding. Let me know, guys. I don't read your minds. Song: Black Panther - Crystal Castles

I wake up in Volt's bed. It's so soft I don't want to leave. Volt is still next to me. He looks at me and smiles.

"Good morning." I say, as I wrap my arms around his bare chest.

"Morning, babe." Volt says, smiling at me. His hair is a mess and his yellow eyes are so vibrant. He's too adorable.

I kiss him, and get out of bed. I want to stay, but I know that Volt has things to do. I don't want to bother him too much.

_One night was enough._

I hate having to remind myself of that.

I change back into the clothes I was wearing yesterday. They still have a lingering scent of Ivana's black tea.

"I'll walk you home." Volt says, as he puts on his clothes.

"Thanks," I say, smiling softly, "I'd like that."

We leave his apartment, and leave holding hands.

We arrive at the house quickly. I unlock the door, and kiss him goodbye one last time. Volt's kisses are the softest.

He walks away and I turn back to the house, and I'm greeted by something - someone - I hadn't expected to see.

Ivana.

She's leaned over Gale, carefully pulling out IV cords and bandaging up any marks left by them. She glares at me.

And I instantly realize what she's seeing. It's quite obvious by how I look what I was doing all night. And I'm pretty sure she just saw me kissing Volt.

Well, shit.

"Hey," I say, not knowing what else to do. She simply glares at me. Then she turns to Gale and politely tells him that he's Kusuri free and not to pick at his bandages for 6 hours.

She stands up immediately and I get out of her way, since she looks like she's going to leave and doesn't want to have anything to do with me. She abruptly stops in front of me.

"Be at my place in an hour." she says simply, then she turns and leaves.

What?

I walk away and head to my room, ignoring Gale's greeting to me.

I go straight into the shower. I let the steam envelop me. The hot water feels nice against my skin.

Ivana is what comes into my thoughts. She's such an enigma. A very cute enigma. I can't figure her out. She's not like any girl I've known before.

I want to know her.

I leave the shower and dry my hair. I get dressed in an all black ensemble consisting of tight lace up pants, a long sleeve t-shirt and of course, my tall platform boots.

I thickly line my eyes black before leaving.

It takes me a while to find Ivana's building, since it takes me a while to find her poverty ridden neighborhood. For a moment I wonder how a place like this exists in the Capitol, but the only reasoning I can come up with is that my father is a sick man who likes suffering to be so close to home.

I finally find Ivana's decaying building. I knock on the aged door. I wait in silence. I can hear a low grumble of music from inside. A moment later, the door opens.

Ivana is standing in front of me, looking sexy as hell. Her short lilac hair is slightly damp, like it was only towel dried after a shower. Her lips are painted almost as dark as her eyes. She's wearing only an oversized black t-shirt that ends just above her thight and falls off her shoulders, revealing a lacy black bra strap.

"You're late." She says, and she grabs me by my shirt and kisses me hard.

Well, that was unexpected.

She pulls me inside and closes the door behind us. She tugs on my arm, leading me up the stairs, leading to her open floor. The music I heard outside is now playing loudly in her room.

"Sorry I made you leave last time." She says, then she kisses me again.

What is she doing?

Not that I really mind.

"Ivana," I being to ask as I back away from her, "What is -"

"You want to know me, and I want to fuck you." She cuts me off, nonchalantly. "This is a win-win situation."

"Well then, let me get to know you first."

She looks at me, seeming genuinely disappointed for a minute, but that fades.

"What do you want to know?" She asks me.

"Well for one, where are you from?"

She hesitates a moment, and awkwardly runs her hand through her wet hair. "District 3."

"Holy shit." A poor district girl? "How are you even here?"

She doesn't answer. I probably sound like a jackass to her, so I don't blame her for not saying anything. But this is the first time that anyone from a District to live in the Capitol. Or the first time I've heard of it at least.

"It is what is it. I can't change it." She finally says without any malice.

"You hate it here." I realize, remembering her harsh words about me being from the Capitol. How was I so blind? "You hate everything about it here. _You hate me_, don't you?"

She doesn't answer me.

"Should I just leave?" I ask her.

"I don't want to hate you." She leans into me, her lips only inches away from my face.

_Why does she have to do this to me? She's too damn sexy for me to not do anything!_

Without thinking, I kiss her. Her lips are soft.

"Was that so difficult?" She asks me when we pull apart.

"Ivana -" I stop. "I can't."

"Why not?"

"I don't know why!" I say throwing my arms up in the air. "I barely know you."

I turn to leave, instantly regretting that opportunity.

"Don't go." Ivana says. I turn back and look at her. "I'm sorry. Please." She sounds desperate.

"Fine," I say after a moment of silence. "I'll stay. Just put some god damn clothes on."

She rolls her eyes. "Fine." She turns and wanders over to a pile of clothes where she picks out a pair of oversized grey sweatpants. She puts them on, and thank god, she doesn't look nearly as distracting. I don't think I could talk to her seriously if she was still so scantily clad. She walks over to her sheepskin rug, and promptly lays down. I join her, since standing would be the only other option.

"Who was that earlier?" She asks me. Of course, she'd ask about Volt. Of course.

"Volt." I answer, not wanting to answer any further.

She pulls out a cigarette from the pack she previously took from me, and lights it.

"Who is he to you?"

Of course, she asks me this.

"I guess you could say we're in a relationship." I pause for a moment, then add: "But we're not exclusive."

She puffs out a smoke ring in delight.

"Good to know."

I look at her for a moment. Through her shirt, I can see her hipbones sticking out, and the outlines of her ribs, moving up and down with every breath. She's so small, it's scary.

"Why don't you like it here?" I ask her, knowing that this is something she doesn't want to talk about. What was is she said the other day? I'll never know her story? Then why is she exposing her life to me? It doesn't make sense.

"I didn't choose to live here. I was fucking taken." She says the last bit with anger in her voice.

"By who? Ivana, I can take you back." I sigh. "I'm the President's only son. I can get whatever I want."

"Yeah," she says solemnly, "So can the President."

What?

"What does that mean?" I ask, hiding my concern from my voice.

"It means that you can't change things. If things are going to change, I have to do it." She stares coldly at me. "Without your help."

I know I shouldn't tell her about my plot - my dream - to kill my father. But I want to tell her. She seems to hate him.

"I shouldn't be telling you this," Ivana says, after sucking in more smoke, "You're probably a daddy's boy. But your fucking _dad_" Sheputs emphasis on the word, like its dirty, "is a fucking perv."

"I know." Is all I say.

"Change starts here." She says and before I realize what's happening, Ivana stradles herself over me and jabs something into my arm. Something pricks my arm.

And suddenly, I'm tired. Very tired.

What did she do to me?

The decayed room starts turning black.

Ivana starts to fade out of my vision, but the last I see is her cigarette falling from her mouth as she laughs.

District 3. They produce medicines.


	27. Chapter 27

_Note: Another short filler/make-of-it-what-you-will chapter. _

_"Hello?_

_"You need to stop calling me._

_"Yeah, of course I did. Not like I had a choice, anyways._

_"I'm really getting sick of doing your dirty work. Next time, you do this yourself._

_"I don't want to talk, okay? I'm going to sleep now."_

Click.


End file.
